Bottom Rung
by Keyo-Red Angel of Hope
Summary: [AU]Syaoran has always suffered at school, constantly picked on and forced to watch his siter over-work herself so they can get by. Then Sakura came and things began to change. Chaps 12&13 up.
1. New Town, New School and Li

Me: Ahhhh. A shiny new fanfic. I know I should update my other ones but I have many ideas in my head for this one. It's also my first Card Captors fanfic.  
  
Kero: Hey!!! How come I'm not in it!!!  
  
Me: Cause it's not set in the TV storyline. It's just a nice fanfic involving the characters.  
  
Kero: But I wanna be in it!!!  
  
Me: Look. How about you just sit here with me and eat pudding?  
  
Kero: I can live with that.  
  
Me: Okay.role opening credits.  
  
Kero: This fanfic was written and directed by Keyo, produced by Red Angel of Hope Inc.  
  
Me: All things in this fanfic do not belong to me except for the original characters.  
  
Kero: And quotation marks [ " ] mean speech. Inverted comas [ ' ] equal thoughts when free standing, or sarcasm when included in speech or text.  
  
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Chapter 1 - New Town, New School and Li.  
  
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17 year old Sakura Kinomoto lay sprawled out on her bed, her auburn hair scattered around her while her emerald green eyes gazed at the white ceiling. The new town was alright. . . .She did miss the lively atmosphere of Tokyo, but this town's slower pace of life was very refreshing. She leaned over and picked her tabby cat Kero off the ground and began to scratch him behind the ears. The old cat purred and lay down to sleep. Sakura decided she should do the same. She would be starting her new school tomorrow and didn't want to be late. As it was with her though, she was. She had overslept, almost missed the bus and despite being given a map of the school, had succeeded in getter herself lost. She ran along the corridors, looking desperately for the right room, clutched in her hands were her new textbooks; she hadn't found the time to put them in her new locker. . .if she could ever find that either. Her navy blue tie flapped wildly as she ran, and she was constantly worried that her hat would come flying off (same hat as worn in the elementary school in the series). Her black skirt swung haphazardly around her legs and she hoped she wasn't crumpling her white shirt or navy waistcoat. Suddenly she collided with something and went sprawling to the floor, books scattering everywhere.  
  
17 year old Li Syaoran was the bottom rung of the high school. He had no friends, and no life. All the way through school he had been the target of every known bully. His parents died in a car crash when he was only six. His sister had been taking care of him since. His family had also once been part of a powerful clan back in China, but the clan had fallen into dishonour, and the kids around here loved to rub it in his face. To make matters worse, he was running late. Not that he really cared anymore. On his back he wore a red hiking bag. He hated using his locker, as he knew people were just waiting for a chance to dump something in it, or fill it with water to wreck his stuff or some kinda crap. The cuffs of his black shirt swung freely about his wrists as he walked, as the buttons were not done. The pockets of his black trousers were laden with their usual load of stationary and keys, his black shoes 'tapped' the floor with each step and his tie bounced on his chest in rhythm with his steps, as did the navy blue fleece around his waist. His mud brown hair looked, as usual, as if it had never even heard of a comb before, and his mud brown eyes bore their usual sorrow and lack of purpose. As he turned the corner, he had a brief moment to see the figure charging towards him before she ran straight into him, knocking him to the ground. He began to scrabble about, gathering her books for her. He had learnt his place, the bottom. And he knew that whoever it was would probably be up and yelling at him in a matter of seconds.  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry." He practically grovelled as he picked up the text books, not looking up at the student.  
  
Sakura didn't know how to react. She had been about to apologise when the guy she had ran into began to practically grovel before her. She knelt down to help him up.  
  
"No. I'm sorry. It was my fault; I wasn't looking where I was going."  
  
Li was dumbstruck. Not in his entire school life had anyone apologised to him. It was always 'Look where you're going Syaoran you fuck face' or 'Look what you did Syaoran you ass.' No matter whether it was always his fault or not; He looked into the girls face, he knew every face in this school, but hers was alien to him. And very beautiful. . .He quickly banished that thought and the ones spawning from it out of his mind. His place was on the bottom. This girl was new here, but soon enough she would join on to a group and either grow to hate him as a loser, or forget his existence entirely. He could only hope it was the latter.  
  
"Ummm. . .I was wandering, do you know where room 33 is?" Sakura asked nervously.  
  
Li nodded.  
  
"I'm going there too. Just follow me." Li turned and started walking.  
  
'Just remember Li, you're the bottom rung. She'll soon forget who you are.' He sighed submitting to the voice.  
  
Sakura's mind however was buzzing with many thoughts. 'What's with that guy? He looks kinda sad. Why was he apologising when it was my fault? Y'know. . .He's kinda cute. . ." She shook that last thought out oh her head, she had only just ran into the guy, literally. As they drew close to room 33, Sakura noticed that the guy was still carrying her books.  
  
"Oh I'm sorry! I forgot you had those!" Sakura cried taking the books from Li.  
  
Li hadn't noticed either, quite used to playing pack horse after a collision. The pair entered the classroom; Li holding the door open for Sakura as she then headed for the teachers desk and he for his seat. Li sat in the back row beside the window. The seats directly in front of him and beside him were empty; after all, no-one wants to sit next to a loser. Li gazed out the window. It was starting to rain. He sighed; he would be forced to sit inside for lunch then. He turned his attention to the front of the class as he heard the teacher begin to speak.  
  
"Everyone! This is Sakura Kinomoto, a new student from Tokyo. I want you to be sure to welcome her to the school."  
  
Li noticed Sakura blush as a few of the guys in the classroom let out cat calls amongst the usual barrage of 'hellos'. He soon returned his attention to the window. He uttered Sakura's name once. So that was the name of the first person to give him any respect in this school. 'She'll forget you soon enough' the voice in his head whispered. Li sighed, wanting to ignore it. His head snapped round, however, when he heard the chair in front of him being scrapped across the tiles on the floor. 'What the hell?!' His mind yelled. 'Why was she sitting there? Doesn't she know that near me is not the place to sit?!'  
  
Sakura could feel her cheeks burn as some of the guys in the classroom gave out cat calls. God! Was that lust in their eyes?  
  
"Okay Sakura, take one of the empty chairs so I can take the register."  
  
Sakura looked over the classroom. A lot of the guys were pointing to empty seats next to them, the creepy lustful look in their eyes. She noticed though, that the seats next to the boy from earlier were empty, she saw him looking at him, his eyes seemed to be sad rather than lustful, and the seat in front of him was surrounded by girls! She quickly made her way across to the seat and dumped her weighty books on the desk and scrapped back the chair, welcoming the sensation of sitting down. A few people were giving her odd looks, but she didn't notice.  
  
'Okay Li, calm down. She probably just went for that seat because it was next to a window and around girls; she probably didn't even notice you.' The voice in Li's mind babbled. The teacher began to take the register and the class's attention became focused on her momentarily. Li's heart almost stopped when Sakura turned around to talk to him. 'She's actually going to talk to me?!?'  
  
"Hey. . .Ummm. . .I forgot to say 'thank you' earlier. Y'know, for helping me get here, and ummm. . .y'know. . .Carrying my books. I'm Sakura." Her voice was low and whispered, enough so that only Li could hear her.  
  
She put her hand forward for him to shake. Li glanced at the rest of the class nervously, glad that they were looking at the teacher. If anyone saw her doing this she would be branded a social outcast like him forever. He stretched his own, slightly shaking, hand forward to accept hers.  
  
"Li. Li Syaoran."  
  
'Man! Her hands are so soft.' 'Whoa! His hands are so rough.'  
  
The teacher finished reading out the notices and turned her attention to planning the lessons she'd have to teach today. Most of the class began to swarm Sakura's desk. A few students 'accidentally' knocking into Li as the crowded round. Sakura found herself bombarded with questions. Some decent ones such as; "Hey! What's Tokyo like?" Or "Need help finding your classes?" Some stupid ones such as; "Hey there cutie, wanna date?" And some she didn't understand. Usually about Li; "Why'd you pick a seat next to that loser Li?" "Hey, why not move away from that loser and come sit near me?" Sakura found her head spinning from the multiple voices hurling queries at her, and was glad when the bell rang so she could leave. As she did, she noticed from the corner of her eye some of the boys from the class pushing Li into a wall and then tripping him up so he fell to the floor. She wanted to go back and help him up, but found herself getting swept along with the flow of students.  
  
Li uttered some curses as he pulled himself off the floor and dusted himself off. He looked up and saw a flash of Sakura's emerald eyes before she vanished around the corner. He looked down at his right hand, with which he had shaken Sakura's, then thrust it into his pocket as he made his way towards history class, his fringe hiding his sad eyes as he tried not to remember the soft feel of Sakura's hand or the scent of cherry blossom she carried with her.  
  
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Kero: YOU MEAN YOU'RE PUTTING LI IN THIS FANFIC BUT NOT ME! ! !  
  
Me: Calm down Kero! At least the cat's got your name, and you get pudding.  
  
Kero: True.  
  
Me: Love it? Hate it? Please review. And whoever can tell me how to change my e-mail setting on this site will get their name included in the next chapter.  
  
Kero: Why?  
  
Me: Cause I've got a new address, meaning all my review alerts go to the wrong place.  
  
Kero: Ohhh. 


	2. Learning about Li

Kero: Hey Keyo. What's 'Registration Class'?  
  
Me: Oh. I think the American's call it a 'Home Room' or something. It's basically where you go to get registered in the morning and the group of students you meet up with during fire drills etc  
  
Kero: Oh. Got any more pudding?  
  
Me: *sigh* Here you go.  
  
Kero: PUDDING! ! !  
  
Me: *sigh* Oh, by the way. I forgot what Sakura's friends are called and what they look like, so I'm gonna make some people up. I also don't own Cardcaptors.  
  
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Chapter 2 - Learning about Li.  
  
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The rain continued all day long. Sakura found herself growing close to a raven haired girl named Madison whose voice, no matter what, held a melodious tone to it. The pair chatted on their way to the cafeteria for lunch. Sakura was glad to have made friends with Madison, as she guided her around the school and seemed to know something about everybody, as well as being a very nice person. After paying for their meals, they set their trays down on Madison's regular table. Also gathered there were Madison's other friends.  
  
"Everybody, this is Sakura." Madison announced.  
  
The other girls looked up from their meals to say 'hi'. Sakura recognised some from the registration class. She smiled and greeted them back as she sat down at the table. They began to ask her some things about herself and Tokyo, and she in turn asked about them and the small town. During the discussion she glanced over at Li, sitting alone by the window at a small table.  
  
"Does that guy always sit alone like that?" Sakura asked.  
  
The girls turned to look at her.  
  
"What guy?"  
  
Sakura pointed in Li's direction.  
  
"Li. Doesn't he have any friends?"  
  
The girls looked down at their meals for a moment, then Madison began to speak.  
  
"Well. . .No. He doesn't. For as long as I can remember people have been giving him the cold shoulder."  
  
One of the girls called Becca, who was fairly short and round with spiky hair that was died a deep red, took over.  
  
"He's kinda been branded a 'loser' by society. Even acknowledging his existence his harmful to your social standing. Most people just ignore him, others just beat down on him."  
  
Kim, a girl whose natural dark hair had been died to make it jet black took on from her best friend.  
  
"His parent's died when he was small, I think his sister looks after him. Anyway, his family was once part of a great clan in China. But the clan fell into dishonour and degenerated after a series of scandals."  
  
Madison took back the torch to finish off.  
  
"People treat him like he's worth nothing. It's gotten to the point where he believes it himself, and I don't think it would be possible to change that view."  
  
Sakura looked over at him, her eyes full of sadness and pity. That would explain why he had been acting like some kind of serf this morning when she ran into him, why he was always sitting alone.  
  
"Have you ever tried talking to him?" She asked, slowly breaking her gaze on the hunched figure by the window.  
  
"Once." Madison responded. "And I found a stink bomb in my locker the next day because of it."  
  
Sakura looked back at Li. He was alone and people wanted it to stay that way. She found herself blushing when he looked up and saw her looking at him, she quickly hid her face by staring at her food.  
  
Li hated the cafeteria. Already on his way in, someone had thrown a banana peel at him, hitting him right in the face. He sighed as he sat down at the small table by the window. Normally he ate his lunch outside, away from everybody else. He would sit under the large cherry blossom tree in the grounds and enjoy the peace. Cherry blossom. . .That word triggered off the memory of the scent, and then the emerald eyes and auburn hair. He shook his head, trying to prevent the image of the girl from entering his mind. Okay. . .So she was attractive and nice. But she was above him, just like everyone else. He ate his sandwiches quietly. Allowing pictures and images to form in his mind, allowing the songs he had heard on the radio that morning to play back in his head. He began to get that feeling that someone was watching him. He was used to this feeling, as it usually meant trouble for him. He looked around and saw Sakura staring at him. He could feel his cheeks go red and turned swiftly to look down at his food, at the same time she had. 'She'd probably just heard some stupid story about you Li. Stop dreaming that she might actually like you.' The negative voice chided. Li blocked the little voice, and the image of Sakura's green eyes as he resumed eating his lunch.  
  
After lunch, Sakura waved goodbye to Madison as she walked into her final class of the day. She had a double period of art, while Madison had a double period of music. The art class was very popular, and Sakura was glad when she saw that Li was in this class and, as ever, the seat, or rather stool to be more precise, next to him was empty. For Li Syaoran, art was the best class he had. His seat, as always, was next to the window, and was tucked into the corner, so that no-one could mess with his art. He turned his head as he saw Sakura sitting next to him. 'She's only sitting there because it's the only empty seat, don't get any idea loser.' The negative voice echoed. Li, as it was common nowadays, believed it. After all, it was the only free space.  
  
The teacher rapped out instructions for the double period. Li almost yawned with boredom at the level of difficulty of the task as he gathered his paints. Select 5 items from the junk tables as they were known (because they were covered with a variety of strange items often branded junk) then arrange and paint them. Li estimated he would be done in half an hour. Leaving him an hour and a half to potter about doing his own art work. The teacher didn't mind. She had grown used to Li finishing quickly and appreciated the fact that he spent the rest of the time doing his own art projects.  
  
Sakura almost groaned at the level of difficulty of the task. The items were all very strange, and would be hard to draw just one of them, let alone 5. And how was she supposed to arrange them? In her agitation, she dropped a glass container which was full of red paint. She braced herself for the sound of shattering glass and the splatter of red paint against her exposed legs. She then allowed one eye to open when she heard and felt neither. She noticed Li, bent over in an awkward position, his own paints gathered in one arm, and dangerously balanced, while the other was stretched out, clutching her own jar of red. He slowly hauled himself up and handed Sakura the jar, then gathered his own in both arms and went to his seat. Sakura quickly followed him. She laid her paints out and noticed the Li had gotten a jug of water ready.  
  
"Hey Li. . .Thanks for catching the jar back there." Sakura began to make an effort at conversation.  
  
Li looked up from his sheet of paper, which was already covered with pencil marks, outlining the shape of the objects before him.  
  
"Hm? Oh. . .It was nothing."  
  
Li turned his attention back to his paper and collection of objects, trying to ignore the babble of his fellow students. In the centre of his display was a goat's skull. An old rag doll leaned against it, with its arms wrapped around a small bouquet of plastic flowers, and on the other side, an old teapot sat atop a deflated basket ball. Sakura stared blankly at her random assortment of items. The minutes rolled by, and like many, she had no idea how to arrange them. She fumbled around with them for what seemed an eternity. After half an hour she slumped back. Her random assortment of items, still looked like a random assortment of items. She looked over as she saw Li place his sheet down on the table. He eyes widened at it. The colour and texturing were exact to the real thing, and everything was in proportion to everything else. Not only that, the way he arranged his items was smart as well. It made Sakura think of an old junk shop back in Tokyo, which had a macabre feel to it, yet also felt eccentric, and yet light.  
  
"Wow Li. You're really good."  
  
Li turned around, surprised by, and blushing at the complement to his work. Normally no-one noticed what he did. He looked over at Sakura's blank sheet and jumble of items. Sakura followed his gaze and blushed in embarrassment.  
  
"Ummm. . .Yeah. . .I could use a little help." Sakura admitted.  
  
Li smiled at her. 'God!' She thought. 'He looks so cute when he smiles. Oh God. Did I just think that?' She snapped back to reality, noticing Li stretching over to her side of the desk and shifting the items around. Li eventually moved back, leaving the random assortment looking far more picture worthy. A plant pot took the centre, with a one armed pose able art doll standing in it, it was bent over and looked as though it was holding the and of the small teddy bear. A fake blue feather boa was wrapped around the base of the plant pot and the bear, while a single fake rose lay to the side.  
  
"Oh wow. Thanks Li."  
  
Sakura moved to grab her pencil, but accidentally placed her hand on Li's. Both sharply pulled their hands away, their faces bright red. Sakura began to make an effort to draw the items before her. It was hard enough as it was, she was not great at drawing hence why she was in art class, but she kept getting a nostalgic feeling for Li's touch. 'Why did he pull away so quickly. . .Well. . .I did too I guess. Maybe he's afraid I don't like him. Or maybe he's afraid I do like him.' A smile began to spread across her face.  
  
Li rubbed the back of his hand where Sakura's had been. 'Did she do that on purpose? Nah, she pulled her hand away like I did. Why is she smiling? Maybe she liked it? Nah, she couldn't have. . .Could she?' Li turned back to his sheet of paper, but found his focus lost. All he could see were emerald eyes and auburn hair.  
  
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Me: Ahhhh. . .Two chapters in one night.  
  
Kero: You better upload the stuff for your other fics too.  
  
Me: Oh yeah. Well remember. Whoever can tell me how to change my e-mail settings on the site gets their name mentioned in a chapter. 


	3. Homeward

Me: A thousand thanks to Cheekypoo for telling me how to change my e-mail setting. Kero, present Cheekypoo's reward.  
  
Kero: You win this bass slapping fish, this piece of lint, and a free holiday to Peckham.  
  
Me: Isn't that a marvellous set of prizes?  
  
Kero: Keyo doesn't own Cardcaptor's and the characters in this fic, except for the ones he made up.  
  
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Chapter 3 - Homeward.  
  
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Art class eventually came to an end, in a time period that was far too long for Li and Sakura. The awkward silence that had built up was killing them. Occasionally one would glance at the other and smile, causing the other to turn slightly red and bury their face in their work. 'Why does she keep smiling at me like that? It's making me nervous. . .Hell. . .just sitting this close to her is making me nervous. Does she really like me?' Li had tried to focus on the paper before him, but found it hard. Whenever he tried to focus on an image in his head, he kept seeing Sakura's face and the scent of cherry blossom filled his head. When the bell rang the student's swiftly evacuated the classroom, heading for the back of the school where the buses stopped. Sakura took time out to put her books in her locker, having carried them around in her arms all day. When she arrived at the back of the school though, to her dismay she saw the last of the buses leaving the school grounds.  
  
"NO NO! ! ! STOP! ! ! WAIT FOR ME! ! !" She cried, chasing after the bus but to no avail.  
  
Her head slumped downward, her eyes gazing hopelessly at the ground. It was still raining and she didn't know how to get home. Walking was an option, but she didn't know the way. The rain beat down on her head, her hat beginning to sag under the weight of the water, then the drops stopped hitting her already soaked form. She quickly turned her head in surprise.  
  
Li wandered out of the male toilet. He never took the bus. He liked to avoid places where pranks could be played on him. He pulled his fleece over his head and was begining to get his black umbrella out from his bag when he saw Sakura standing out in the rain. He didn't know why, but he opened his umbrella up and walked over to where she was standing, holding the umbrella over her to shield her from the rain.  
  
"Li!" Sakura exclaimed. A smile spreading over her once downcast features.  
  
Li couldn't resist returning the smile. She was actually happy to see him.  
  
"Are you okay?" He asked a little nervous.  
  
"I missed my bus and I don't know the way back home." She groaned.  
  
'What does she expect you to do about it? Just walk away, no-one would help you.' Li mentally told the voice to shut the fuck up.  
  
"Where do you live?" Li asked, his confidence growing a little.  
  
"I don't know the street name. . ." Sakura admitted. "But it faces the front entrance of the sports centre."  
  
Li nodded, his mind already visualising the area.  
  
"I know where you mean, it's on the way to my place. I'll walk you back there." Li was starting to smile a bit.  
  
Sakura's own smile grew. She couldn't get over how good Li looked when he smiled, rather than his usual morbid sorrowful appearance.  
  
"You will!? Oh thanks Li!" She threw her arms around him giving him a light hug.  
  
Li's mind went blank as she did this. His eyes widened and he had no idea how to react, save for going red. Soon Sakura realised what she was doing and pulled away, her face burning from embarrassment as well as cold. Li felt a little sad when she broke her embrace and felt a longing for that scent of cherry blossom she carried. He then noticed her shivering. It was a very cold day, and she was already soaked. Despite the cries of the voice in his head, Li pulled off his fleece and handed it to her.  
  
"Here. Put this on unless you want to catch your death of cold. Shall we get going?"  
  
As Sakura pulled away from Li she found herself missing the contact with his form. The warmth of his body, now absent, left her feeling colder than before. And that lovely smell of oak that emitted from his clothing. She felt a shiver run through her body. Damn it was cold. Then she could smell that lovely oak scent again, and turned to see Li offering her his fleece. She pulled it on, enjoying the warmth it offered and savouring the oak scent.  
  
"Thank you Li. And yeah. . .Lets."  
  
The pair set off through the streets. Li spent a little bit of time trying to force out the voice in his head. 'Why'd you do that? Now you'll be cold instead of her! And why are you helping her? It's not like she likes you or anything.' The cold wind that was building up cut through Li's shirt. Yes. . .He was going to be damn cold. But he somehow preferred this to watching Sakura shiver. He then felt her body press close to his, her warmth mingling with his. He looked down at the girl beside him.  
  
Sakura noticed Li shiver and his teeth clatter as a cold wind blew through, his fleece shielding her. 'Man. . .He looks really cold. Well that's because I'm wearing his fleece d'uh.' She leant in close to him, trying to warm him up.  
  
"You. . .Uhhhh. . .Looked cold." She stammered nervously when she saw his surprised eyes.  
  
For once the pessimistic voice in Li's head was silent, unable to come up with an alternative motive for Sakura's action. His surprise turned into a nervous smile as he wrapped an arm around her.  
  
"Y. . .Yes. . .Thank you." He smiled, enjoying the look of surprise on Sakura's face, along with her scent of cherry blossom and the warmth emitting from her form.  
  
Sakura pulled her self in closer, enjoying the oak scent and the warmth form Li's body. She could not understand why so many people didn't like him, and didn't want to. They walked for about an hour, as it was a long way to Sakura's home. Sakura was able to start some casual conversation. Finding out that Li's sister Julie worked late most nights to support them. Li had a black cat named Wei and kept in touch with his old friend in China, Mei Lin, via e-mail. In turn, Li learned that Sakura lived with her father and brother Tori. He mother had died soon after Sakura had been born, and her father had moved the family here as part of a promotion. Tori was a big pain and had a white Labrador named Yuwe, while Sakura had a tabby cat named Kero. For both, the arrived at Sakura's home too soon, and both felt nostalgic for the contact with the other.  
  
"I. . .Uhhh. . .Guess I'll see you at school tomorrow." Sakura sighed as she unlocked the door.  
  
"Yeah. . .I guess so." Li sighed in return.  
  
He began to walk back the way they had come. Sakura looked at him quizzically for a moment and then called after him.  
  
"LI! I though you said my home was en route to your place!"  
  
Li glanced back at her, returning her cry.  
  
"I lied."  
  
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Kero: Think Cheekypoo liked those prizes?  
  
Me: I dunno. If not, I have a feeling I'll be getting a very close look at that Bass slapping fish.  
  
Kero: Y'know. . .I could go for some fish and chips about now.  
  
Me: *sigh*  
  
[Thanks again to Cheekypoo] 


	4. At Home

Kero: How many times have you listened to 'Princes of the Universe' today?  
  
Me: Not enough I say. Y'know. . .It's given me an idea for another fic. . .  
  
Kero: Hoo boy. . .  
  
Me: Let's get on with this one first shall we?  
  
Kero: And you don't own the characters right?  
  
Me: Exactly, save for the ones I created. Oh, and I've been getting Li's name wrong throughout this fic. I apologise.  
  
Kero: We get any reviews?  
  
Me: Yes. And to answer one question that was asked, we are yet to know why Li's clan became dishonoured (which will prove crucial later)  
  
Kero: Hey! You have some advanced planning for once!  
  
Me: Also, in school people have a habit of being mean for no particular reason. I speak from experience.  
  
Kero: Really?  
  
Me: Yeah. Not much anymore, and not as bad as what happens here, but why do you think Li wears what I wear to school?  
  
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Chapter 4 – At home.  
  
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Sakura was dumbstruck when as she entered the house. She was feeling really guilty now, Li had known that her home was no where near hers and still walked her here. She felt worse that when she found out, she hadn't invited him in, said he could wait 'till her brother got back and he could give him a lift in his car. She slumped her head down and was met with the smell of oak.  
  
"DAMN! I didn't even give him back his fleece!" She yelled, kicking the couch, causing Kero to launch from it. "Now he'll probably think I'm some mega heartless bitch or something. . ."  
  
Slumping down on the couch, Sakura started to sulk a bit.  
  
"How could I be such a pain to such a nice guy. He's probably freezing cold and cursing my name right now. . ."  
  
Sakura was half right. Li was freezing; it wasn't until he was about half an hour away from Sakura's house that he realised that he had forgotten to get his fleece back from her. 'Y'know. . .She probably kept it to keep you cold.' Li ignored the voice. His senses were still charged with the feel of her touch and the scent of cherry blossom. It took him an hour to reach the school and another half hour to get back to his apartment. As he entered through the door, his black cat Wei came up to greet him. The old cat rubbed against Li's legs as he was putting his bag away. Li picked the old cat up, scratching behind his ears. He took him through to the kitchen and filled his bowl then made himself some soup. The annoying voice in his head seemed to give in and shut up. After he had washed up, he went up to his room. He turned on the computer and read the latest e-mail form Mei Lin, not much today. He began to write his reply. . .  
  
Dear Mei Lin.  
I am glad to here your well. And once again I answer no. I have not found myself a girlfriend yet. But I want your advice Mei Lin. I met this new girl today. I won't tell you her name (because I know what your like) but I haven't been able to get her out of my head. Her emerald eyes and Cherry Blossom scent haunt my mind. I've only met her this morning and yet I feel closer to her than anyone in the whole f***ing school. She talks to me like I'm her equal. . .Like I'm not worth nothing. . .God I feel so screwed up right now. I walked her home today (she had missed her bus and didn't know the way home) it was a really stupid thing to do because it was in the opposite direction of my place, and I even lent her my fleece, and I forgot to get it back. Tell me Mei Lin. . .How do I get her out of my head?  
  
Li  
  
Li sent the e-mail and then went to his desk, pulling out a fresh, sharp pencil and a clean sheet of paper. Normally a vast array of fantastic ideas flooded his mind. You only had to look at his room to see that. Each of the walls was covered in his art work. Dragons and chimeras, knights and maidens. There was a large portrait he had done of his sister as well. Yet now, as he sat before his sheet of paper, only one image entered his mind. It invaded every crevice, in thousands of poses and designs. He could not get the emerald eyes from his mind. No matter how hard he tried. 'She is above me, like everything else. I shouldn't be allowed to think of her. . .Why? Why does she invade my mind. . .I can't get her out of my head!' Li turned to look at the photograph on his bedside table. It showed a young girl with ebony hair in two long pony tails smiling with her arms wrapped around the tall dark haired man next to her. The girl was Mei Lin and the guy was her boyfriend Colin. Both were in China.  
  
"What would you be saying to me right now Mei Lin? Guess I'll find out when you reply to my e-mail."  
  
He turned his attention back to the sheet of paper before him. He re- started his efforts to expel the image of Sakura from his mind, putting the pencil down on his desk he lay back on his bed, trying to force the girl from his mind. He could see her in her uniform, in a dress, in sports clothes, in armour in many things, in nothing at all. Why wouldn't she leave his thoughts alone. Eventually he submitted. Letting the images wash over his mind, lulling him into a peaceful sleep, the images in his mind became dreams and for the first time in all too long, Li smiled as he slept.  
  
"HEY SQUIRT! ! ! I'M BACK! ! !"  
  
Sakura hopped down the stairs and hugged her older brother, then ruffled his neatly set hair as punishment for calling her squirt. Sakura had changed into a light pink tank top and dark green shorts. She had wrapped Li's fleece around her waist. She didn't know why, but she wanted to keep it near her. Tori began to pick up on the alien scent, then noticing the alien garment.  
  
"Hey. What's this?" He asked, holding up one of the fleece's sleeves.  
  
Sakura's face began to turn red.  
  
"Tell me squirt." Tori's tone grew serious and his eyes began to bore into her head.  
  
"Ummm. . . I borrowed it and forgot to give it back." Sakura knew how overly protective her brother could be, and felt that mentioning Li would be a bad idea.  
  
"From who?" Tori fixed Sakura with a hard and incredibly piercing stare.  
  
'God. . .How does he do that look? One of those stares and you'd be willing to confess to being on the grassy knoll. . .'  
  
"He's just a friend, I guess. . .Okay?"  
  
"He?"  
  
Sakura cursed in her mind. She had really blown it now. She knew that Tori would bombard her with questions and lectures now.  
  
"What's his name?"  
  
"Li. And that's all you're gonna get from me."  
  
"And why did he give you his fleece?"  
  
"Because I was cold when we were walking here."  
  
"And why were you walking?"  
  
Sakura knew this would go on for a long time now. She eventually escaped her brother and went up to her room, flopping down on her bed. She pulled the fleece from around her waist and then lay her head on it, absorbing the soft oak scent. It seemed her brother had already decided that he didn't like Li. She could almost hate him for it. Li seemed to get it hard enough without someone who hadn't even met him not liking him. She shifted into the foetal position, holding the navy blue fleece to her chest and gazed out of her window.  
  
Julie limply hung her black trench coat on the coat rack and slumped into the apartment. It was now 10 o'clock and Julie was exhausted. She didn't know how she was able to keep up with these hours, but she, nay, they needed the money. Dumping her handbag on the couch she wandered into the kitchen where she was greeted by a warm hug from her younger brother.  
  
"Welcome home sis. I've got your dinner ready." Li smiled breaking the embrace.  
  
Julie ruffled her younger sibling's hair. Her brother was her world now. Since their parents had died she had been running herself ragged to get enough money to keep them afloat. She knew her brother wanted to help, but she insisted that he focus on his school work. A large smile grew on her face as she detected the aroma of well made spaghetti bolognaise.  
  
"Ah Syaoran. You must be the best chef in the world."  
  
Li shrugged, blushing a little. His sister was the only one who called him by his first name, and he liked to keep it like that. They sat down and talked for about half an hour, Wei would wander by now and again. The old cat was a drain on their money, but both loved Li and Julie loved him to much to get rid of him. Eventually Julie glanced at the wall clock and noticed the time.  
  
"Okay Syaoran. You best get to bed. You still have school tomorrow."  
  
"But. . ." Li began to protest.  
  
"No buts. A wolf you may be, but you are still a little one."  
  
Li bowed, admitting his defeat.  
  
"Night sis."  
  
"Night Syaoran."  
  
As Li crawled into bed, he glanced at the picture he had finished before Julie had arrived home. The picture was of a young girl, wearing a white sun dress. The colour on the scenery was blurred, making the figure in the centre stand out more. The emerald eyes of the girl shone amongst the running colours of the filed, and her auburn hair reflected the sun's light. Li smiled and reached a hand out to stroke the picture once.  
  
"Maybe. . .I can hold on to her for a little longer. . ."  
  
"SAKURA! LIGHTS OUT!"  
  
Sighing, Sakura obeyed the call from her father down stairs. She lay her book down on her bedside table and proceeded to flick the switch on the lamp to off. She pulled Li's fleece close to her chest and inhaled deeply and began to drift off into a deep sleep.  
  
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Me: I am immortal! I have inside me blood of kings!  
  
Kero: Stop singing 'Princes of the Universe' (which is by Queen not Keyo)  
  
Me: Fine.  
  
Kero: Stay tuned for the 5th instalment of 'Bottom Rung'  
  
Me: Same fanfic time, same fanfic channel. 


	5. Back to School

Kero: You're writing again! Yay!  
  
Me: Sorry for not updating any of my fics for so long, but I failed my prelims and have been studying. I'm taking time out to write this chapter.  
  
Kero: Ummm... do you have any...  
  
*gives Kero pudding*  
  
Kero: Yay! Pudding!  
  
Me: I don't own Cardcaptors, or the song Hang On, and I am willing to bet that the meaning of life is monkeys.  
  
Kero: And remember, '' means thought when it's on its own.  
  
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Chapter 5 – Back to school  
  
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"Hey Madison. Where's Li?"  
  
It was lunchtime of the next day. Sakura hadn't had a chance to return Li's fleece yet as she had been late (surprise, surprise) for registration and she didn't have art class today, and that was the only class where she sat next to him. Madison looked up as her friend sat down at the table.  
  
"What's wrong?" She asked, noting her friend's eyes scanning the busy cafeteria.  
  
Sakura seemed to snap out of a trance and turned to face the raven haired girl.  
  
"Oh. I'm sorry. I was just looking for Li."  
  
"Why would you be looking for him?" Kim asked, looking up from her meal.  
  
"I...I have to return something to him."  
  
Madison smiled, while her friends continued to look confused.  
  
"He avoids the cafeteria when he can. He'll probably be under the large cherry blossom tree in the grounds."  
  
Sakura gathered her lunch and stood up.  
  
"Thanks Madison. I'll see you in math class." And she then left turned and left.  
  
Madison, Kim and Becca watched her go. When she was out of sight, they huddled together in whispered conversation, which was hardly necessary seeing as it was hard to be overheard in the noisy cafeteria.  
  
"She's a strange one." Kim whispered.  
  
"You think she actually listened when we told her it was a bad idea to associate with Li?" Becca added.  
  
"Maybe she doesn't care?" Madison glanced back at the door as she whispered.  
  
In the grounds Li slipped a small case into his bag and rolled down his sleeve, leaning back against the cherry blossom tree. He looked up into its branches and watched some of the soft pink petals fall from their perch, a sure sign of the coming of autumn. As one of the soft petals landed on his nose, his mind flashed up images of Sakura.  
  
"Why can't I get you out of my head...?" He uttered softly to no-one in particular.  
  
"Who can't you get out of your head?"  
  
Li started, and quickly turned his head in the direction of the soft voice, the cherry blossom petal flying off his nose. His eyes widened as he saw Sakura walking up towards him, her lunch bundled in her arms. She dumped the items of food on the ground and sat by him.  
  
"Well...who can't you get out your head?"  
  
Turning his head down, and his face red, Li managed to mumble together a sentence.  
  
"I...It's nothing..." He lied, trying to avoid her gaze.  
  
Sakura gave him a confused smile, then her eyes widened in remembrance. Reaching to the garment bound around her waist, being Li's fleece, and undoing the loose knot.  
  
"Here...You...ummm...I forgot to give this back to you yesterday." She blushed as she presented the navy blue item to him.  
  
Li accepted it, flopping it over his lap, and began to stare at the clouds, expecting Sakura to just get up and leave now that she had returned his fleece. He was very surprised when he heard her munching away at her sandwich. He turned to face her, blushing away. The voice in his head remained silent, allowing his own thoughts to filter through.  
  
'She is so beautiful..."  
  
Sakura turned, smiling innocently at him. Then her face tightened and she began to slam at her chest, choking on a piece of her meal. In a flash, Li grabbed her around the waist, squeezing tightly, forcing her to cough up the piece of bread. Sakura inhaled deeply, refreshing her starved lungs.  
  
"Are you okay?" Li's voice was full of concern as he spoke, not releasing his grip on her slender form.  
  
After a few more breaths, Sakura turned to face him, a weak smile playing on her face.  
  
"Yeah...I'm okay." She managed, leaning back against him.  
  
It took a few seconds for them both to realise the position they were still in. With Li's arms clamped around her waist, and Sakura leaning against his body. Both turned deep red and shot back from each other.  
  
'Oh great! Now she probably thinks I'm some kinda perv...'  
  
"I'm sorry." Li said, with his face towards the ground.  
  
A confused look formed on Sakura's face.  
  
"What are you sorry for? You saved my life."  
  
"I...Just...Just for holding you so...I'm sorry."  
  
Stooping quickly he grabbed his bag and fleece and dashed off, slight tears forming in his eyes. Sakura just stood confused. She found it strange how Li apologised to her for no real reason. Was he treated so bad that he considered his very touch to be something unclean?  
  
"Please..." She whispered to herself. "Let me get close to you."  
  
"Well now I found myself,  
  
Wish I was someone else.  
  
My hands are stained with l o v e,  
  
Wish I could take it away..."  
  
Li shook his head as he walked home, the song Hang On, by Seether, playing on his CD player. He glanced at the buses as they pulled away, pain searing through him as he thought of the day before when he had walked with Sakura. Sighing heavily, he resumed walking. On the bus, Sakura stared dejectedly out of the window at the passing scenery, catching a glimpse of Li as the bus left the school. She thought back to the day before, how warm she had felt being so close to him. Sighing, she lay back in her seat, ignoring the noise about her. Once Li arrived home, he did not bother to eat. He sat in his chair at his desk and took a pencil in his hand. He transferred the CD from his personal CD player, to the small radio/tape/CD player on the desk. Starting up the song Hang On once more.  
  
"I hid behind this shell,  
  
In time the pain will melt.  
  
My heart is stained with love.  
  
Wish I could fake it!"  
  
By 8:30 he sat back, having been in the chair since he arrived home. He gazed at the desk in a frantic stare. Seven drawings lay on the desk. Simple and hasty compared to some of his more patient pieces, but definitely his most beautiful so far.  
  
"They're...They're all beautiful..."  
  
"Well now I found myself,  
  
Wish I was someone else."  
  
"And they're...they're all of...of...her..."  
  
"My hands are stained with l o v e,  
  
Wish I could take it away..."  
  
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Kero: Nice songfic integration.  
  
Me: Thanks. Now please excuse me while I go cry like a little girl over my exams.  
  
Kero: Please send nice reviews to encourage Keyo in his time of need...and pudding. Lots of pudding. 


	6. Truth, Lies and Rumours

Kero: Write more!  
  
Me: Damn Kero. A reviewer gives you pudding and you go slave driver on me!  
  
Kero: You barely update anyway. I'm not just doing this for the pudding, but for your fans and you.  
  
Me: I thought it was just for pudding.  
  
Kero: Only mostly.  
  
Me: *sigh* I don't own CCS or apparently my life anymore.  
  
Kero: It belongs to me and the exams now!  
  
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Chapter 6 – Truth, Lies and Rumours.  
  
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Li groaned as there was now new mail from Mei Lin. He needed the help of his old friend right now. He wanted his head to be clear. Sighing, he scratched at a patch of his arm. It always itched there. Pulling back his sleeve he looked at the numerous needle marks on his arm.  
  
"Needs must..." He uttered.  
  
Reaching into his bag he pulled out the small case he'd had out at lunch time. Opening it, he drew out one of several needles. He filled it with a liquid in a small glass jar that was also in the case. After checking how much he'd put in, he braced and plunged the needle into his arm, making another pinhole mark. As the liquid drained into his blood stream he slowly relaxed. He pulled the needle out, tossing it in the bin; he lounged back in his chair, slipping the case into his bag he closed his eyes to sleep.  
  
The next day was Friday. As ever Li woke up and proceeded to have breakfast, letting his sister sleep. He finished eating and began to sling on his uniform. Before putting on his shirt however, he reached once more for the case, plunging a fresh needle into his arm before heading off to school.  
  
Sakura once more hurtled onto the bus like a bat out of hell, having received another bout of taunting from her older brother about being late, and then almost proving him right. The bus arrived earlier than usual, so Sakura decided to pass time by talking with Madison. After rattling through the common topics, bands, work, teachers etc. Sakura asked the question she'd been thinking about since her first day here.  
  
"Madison...Why don't people like Li?" She asked nervously.  
  
Madison's amethyst eyes turned to the ground. She took a deep breath as her mind gathered the reasons.  
  
"There...There are a few reasons. Firstly people don't trust him. His clan fell from honour due to illegal dealings."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean murder, assassination, drug and weapon dealings." Madison's eyes flared as she now looked directly at Sakura. "And all other kinds of horrible things. Then there are the rumours."  
  
"What rumours?"  
  
Madison sighed once more, gazing at the sky then back to Sakura.  
  
"People say that he steals, they also claim that he's on drugs."  
  
Sakura's eyes widened with shock. She would never suspect Li of doing such things.  
  
"Th...That can't be true!" She exclaimed.  
  
Madison quickly hushed her, not wanting other people to hear what they were saying.  
  
"I'm not sure if it is, but that's just what they say."  
  
"Well their lying. It can't be true." Sakura turned and walked towards the class as the bell began to ring. Muttering to herself.  
  
Madison shook her head. Sakura was definitely hooked on Li. She thought that maybe she should talk with the boy and get him to stay away from Sakura, not wanting her new friend to be dragged down with him.  
  
At lunch time, Sakura didn't bother to go to the cafeteria; she went straight to the grounds; straight to Li's tree. She had to talk with him. She needed to hear him say he wasn't a thief, or on drugs. All day she had been hearing the same things when she asked about it (she asked in a very discreet manner of course) and she wanted to hear Li's side. Her heart stopped as she came into view of the tree. There was Li, sitting on the grass, a needle in his arm. It was more than Sakura could handle at that moment. Tears forming in her eyes she turned and ran from the tree.  
  
The rest of the day was a blur to her. When she got home, she got changed into a cream tank top and olive green skirt, then she slouched on her bed and just lay there, hardly daring to breathe.  
  
"It can't be true..." She uttered, tears rolling down her face. "It has to be a lie..."  
  
Pain swam through her chest. Had she really seen what she'd seen? She needed to see him, now more than ever. Maybe she could talk him out of doing it. Darting downstairs she grabbed the phone book, flipping through the pages. She got to 'S' then remembered that Syaoran was Li's first name. Quickly, she flicked back to 'L'. After a few minutes of searching she found his address and darted outside, just as it began to rain. She ran to the bus stop and hopped on. The rain grew harder as the bus travelled and it was pouring harder than ever before when she reached Li's street at 7:30pm, meaning that it was dark and wet. Running along with pavement, growing more wet and colder by the second, she finally found Li's apartment block. Running up the stairs she finally reached Li's door. Shaking from the cold and from the nerves, she tentatively rapped on the door. After a few seconds it swung open to reveal a very surprised Li. Sakura couldn't help but notice that one of his sleeves was rolled up. She grimaced at the thoughts in her head, and looked nervously into his oak eyes.  
  
"H...hey Li...can I come in?"  
  
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Kero: I...am...speechless...  
  
Me: I know...pretty heavy eh?  
  
Kero: That was damn short! That's why I'm speechless!!!  
  
Me: I'm sorry, the next chapter will be better, I promise! Please, R+R. 


	7. We're friends

Me: Okay. Here is Chap 7.  
  
Kero: Which is much better than Chap 6.  
  
Me: Considering that Chap 6 was a linking Chapter I think it was reasonable.  
  
Kero: I guess...*eats pudding*  
  
Me: *sigh* Thanks also to kawaii neko for actually noticing and caring about the drug implications, and to Kitty-chan for saying, and I quote, 'You're one of the best writers here on fanfiction.net'. That means a lot to my Kitty so thank you a lot. I have confidence issues at times (not often though) and that gave me a huge boost, especially since I have a cold. As thanks for these reviews, on with the fic.  
  
Kero: Keyo does not own CCS.  
  
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Chapter 7 – We're friends.  
  
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Li stood, slightly shocked and very surprised and confused at the sight of Sakura before him. She was soaking wet, causing her tank top to turn slightly see-through, water dripped from her hair and skirt. Quickly snapping out of his shock, Li ushered her into the apartment. As she stood shivering in the hall, he darted off to the bathroom to fetch her a towel.  
  
"Here." He said nervously, as he wrapped the soft white towel around her shoulders. "Sakura...why are you here?"  
  
Sakura wrapped the towel tightly about, still shivering. She looked into Li's brown eyes, what she wanted to ask him was sticking in her throat as she looked. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, accidentally spraying water over Li, then she let out a loud sneeze. Li's soft brown eyes grew worried, and he guided her through to his room and wrapped his duvet around her to keep her warm.  
  
"Hang on a minute." He spoke softly, quickly darting out the room.  
  
Sakura, still shivering, though warmer now, looked about the room. She could not help but be awestruck by the art posted all over the walls. Letting the duvet slip from her shoulders, she got up form Li's bed and began to walk along the walls. Images of great dragons and knights and fair maidens danced through her head as she looked upon the pictures. Her mind swam at the diversity of art, jungles, mountains, parks, fields; all were captured in Li's art more beautifully than a photograph. As she passed by his desk her heart sank. Her eyes landed upon the case with the small glass jar and syringe inside, along with multiple needles. She quickly snatched the case just as Li returned, a mug full of warm milk and honey in his hands. Placing it on the night stand, he looked over at Sakura, who seemed to have tensed up.  
  
"Sakura...what's wrong?" He asked nervously. Hell, just having her here made him nervous.  
  
Turning around slowly, Sakura's heart beat a thousand times per second. She took a deep breath as she came face to face with Li, focusing her mind, anger building slightly at Li for doing this to himself.  
  
"What's wrong...what's wrong is this!" She practically shouted, thrusting out the open case.  
  
Li's eyes widened in shock as Sakura flashed the case at him.  
  
"How can you do this to yourself Li! When I heard the rumour I couldn't believe it. But it's true! I know things aren't great for you but how can you do this!"  
  
A sense of fear grew in Li's eyes, and Sakura could see it.  
  
"Sakura...please...put that down."  
  
Sakura shook off his plea.  
  
"I'll smash them Li! I'll smash all of them!" She yelled, moving to the window and holding the case out over the street far below.  
  
Li's legs grew weak and his hand stretched out slightly, as if he wanted Sakura to give him the case.  
  
"Please Sakura...Don't do that. There too valuable." Li's voice was almost cracking in fear and desperation.  
  
Upon hearing the sound of his voice, and what he said. Sakura began to wonder how long he had been taking whatever was in that jar that he had become like this.  
  
"I don't care how much it cost you to get! I'll..."  
  
Sakura's rant was cut off when Li began to shout at her.  
  
"IT'S NOT HOW MUCH IT COST ME TO GET, IT'S WHAT IT'LL COST ME IF I DON'T TAKE IT!"  
  
Sakura gazed on in shock at the young boy. Li shook visibly, smoothing his hand through his hair and regaining control of himself.  
  
"Sakura..." He spoke, his calm demeanour returning, though he was clearly still very agitated. "Sakura, do you know what's in there."  
  
Sakura shook her head, water once more lashed from her hair.  
  
"It's called insulin; do you know what that is and where it's made?" Li's eyes grew soft again his voice growing softer as well.  
  
Sakura shook her head once more.  
  
"I don't, and I don't see how that matters it's still..."  
  
Li cut her off once more.  
  
"Insulin is an enzyme, it's made in the human body and it breaks down glucose. Some people, however, have a faulty gene that prevents them from making enough insulin. This is incredibly fatal, as if they have too much glucose in their system that can't be broken down it will kill the person." Sakura's eyes began to widen in understanding and guilt. "I'm diabetic that means I have that problem. If I don't take that injection 3 times a day, I die."  
  
Tears welled in Sakura eyes, formed through anger at herself. She slowly placed the case back on Li's desk and stood with her face at the floor, tears rolling down her face.  
  
'How could I have done that? I jumped straight in...Li has enough problems without me doing this to him...' She thought, her heart sinking far down as she thought about how this display of mistrust might affect Li. 'He probably thinks I'm just like everyone else at the school now...'  
  
'You see...she's just like everyone else at the school. She assumed the worst about you like It told you.' The voice in Li's mind cackled. But Li wasn't listening; he was more concerned about the tears rolling down Sakura's cheeks.  
  
Tentatively, he walked forward, his arm reaching out to place softly on her shoulder.  
  
"Sakura?"  
  
Suddenly Sakura let the tears flow down her face, rather than the slow dripping. She flung her arms around his waist and held him tight.  
  
"I'm sorry Li." She cried into his shoulder, her eyes shut tight. "I didn't want to believe what they were saying, but when I saw you putting the needle in your arm I thought the worst! I'm sorry...I...I..."  
  
Li slowly, slightly unsure, but at the same time sure about what he was doing, wrapped his arms around her.  
  
"Please don't hate me..." She croaked.  
  
Li's eyes widened in surprise. He tightened his embrace on her. Though he had only known her a short time, he was, he had to admit, very attached to the young girl.  
  
"Never." He whispered. "Never will I hate you."  
  
Sakura pulled back, her tear stained emerald eyes locked on to Li's deep oak ones. Li was able to smile gently and Sakura lay her head on his chest, a soft smile returning to her face.  
  
"Thank you Li." She whispered, pulling in closer, causing Li's heart to beat faster and his face to flush. "We're friends after all...and friends shouldn't hate each other...I'm sorry..."  
  
Those words echoed in Li's mind. 'We're friends'. His grip on Sakura tightened once more, as if he wanted to protect her from all the evils in the world. He was her friend. She had said it. She would never know how much that meant to him. Sitting back down on his bed, Li once more wrapped the duvet around Sakura and handed her the warm milk and honey. She drank it down thankfully, enjoying the warmth that it spread through her. Taking back the mug, Li placed it once more on the nightstand and turned to talk to Sakura, but found her now in asleep. Smiling gently, he lay her head down on his lap and began to softly stroke her hair, smiling down at her.  
  
"Thank you Sakura..." He whispered to her sleeping form. "You don't know how much you mean to me right now...thank you...  
  
My friend."  
  
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Me: You didn't really think Li was a druggy now did you?  
  
Kero: Well that was much better than the last. But still...  
  
Me: Look. My exams are still on the horizon. This is the only fic I've been updating. One my exams are over I promise that I'll put a new chap up for each of my fics and try and get multiple done in the one day okay?  
  
Kero: Through some pudding in and you've got a deal.  
  
Me: *sigh* R&R please.  
  
Kero: Cause well written reviews = well written chapters.  
  
Me: I also promise fluff will occur in later chapters. I swear. 


	8. Saturday Promise

Me: Okay. This isn't a chapter; this is a promise from me to have the Chapter 8 uploaded by Saturday at the latest. I sincerely apologise about not updating for months, but I've had my exams, then settling into 6th year, then I was on holiday...  
  
Kero: Cut the nonsense Keyo, yeah you've been busy, but you've been back from Canada for over 2 weeks! You should have gotten a chapter done by now!  
  
Me: Eeep! Okay, okay fine. I have been very lazy and I apologise for that. I'm also a dirty liar because here is the 8th chapter (as if I would waste space with an 'Author's Note'.) So enjoy.  
  
Kero: And out of all the crap Keyo brought back from Canada, he didn't bring back the ownership of Cardcaptors.  
  
Me: I don't own Tom & Jerry either.  
  
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Chapter 8 – Saturday Promise.  
  
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Sakura's jaw stretched wide as she let off a loud yawn. Sitting up she began to rub her eyes, her jaw moving around as yet another large yawn emitted from her small frame.  
  
"You're not supposed to move y'know."  
  
Giving her head a light shake, Sakura instantly became aware that she was still in Syaoran's room. Blushing, she began to twist a loose strand of her now dry hair around her fingers.  
  
"I'm sorry. How long was I asleep?" She asked shyly.  
  
Li placed the pad he was holding down on the nightstand, along with a pencil. Rising from the chair he had moved to, he helped the still half asleep Sakura back to her feet.  
  
"Well it's 9:30, so about two hours."  
  
The colour drained from Sakura's face as she realised the time, and that she was out well past her curfew.  
  
"PHWEE! I AM SO DEAD! MY DAD'S GONNA BE MAD AND MY BROTHER WILL KILL ME!!!" She screamed in panic, her body and mind becoming fully awake.  
  
Syaoran couldn't help but grin, she was cute, he thought, when she panicked, in fact, she was cute all the time. Shaking his head and wondering where that thought had come from, he proceeded to calm her down and provide assurances that it would be okay.  
  
"Don't worry Sakura," He spoke as soothingly as possible, "you can use our phone to call up your Dad and tell him where you are.  
  
"Yes, yes...thank you..." She muttered, exiting the room, only to immediately stick her head back through the door frame, a slight blush of embarrassment on her cheeks. "Ummmm. Where is the phone?" She asked nervously.  
  
Grinning like a Cheshire cat, Li led Sakura to said appliance which rested on the small table in the living room. Returning to his room to collect his sketch pad, Li's grin did not fade. 'She likes me...she actually cares about my existence...Li 1, voice in my head 0!'  
  
"Okay. See you soon then. Sorry again. Bye!" Sakura placed the phone down with a sigh. Her Dad hadn't been as mad as she thought he would be, her brother, well, she knew that would be a different story. Spinning to face him as Li entered the room, her eyes fell on the sketch pad in his hands. Remembering his words when she woke up, a single question entered her mind. "Were you...were you drawing me while I was asleep?"  
  
It was now Li's turn to blush, a feeling of guilt crept over him as he lifted the sketch pad to show her the picture he had been working on, muttering a soft, guilty, and embarrassed apology.  
  
Sakura, however, could only stare at what was before her. The lower half of the picture was not quite finished, so her legs and the lower half of the bed were very rough, but the upper half of her body and the rest of the bed were completed, with only the minimal amount of tidying up required. Tracing her fingers over the pencil lines, a smile spread on her face.  
  
"Li...if it's I keep this? When it's finished I mean." Sakura was entranced by the drawing; she felt that she had never looked more beautiful (even if she was asleep in it). "That is, if it's not too much of a..."  
  
Li waved his hand, signalling that Sakura didn't have to say anything else. "No, it's no problem. I'll finish it tonight and give it to you when we go back to school on Monday."  
  
"You sure?" Sakura asked, still smiling, and still melting Li's heart. "I could come by tomorrow if you wanted?"  
  
The blush on Sakura's face began to spread, as the one of Li's became an even brighter red. Li was only able to nod his head and utter an 'ok'. Suddenly there was a loud knock on the door, shattering the silence and causing the two youths to jump in surprise. Shaking the blush from his face, Li moved across and opened the door to the smiling, and slightly damp form of Sakura's father.  
  
"Hello." He grinned, the water dripping from his glasses and brown hair. "I hope I got the right apartment this time."  
  
Smiling from behind Li, Sakura waved and greeted her father. Introductions were made, and apologies given and excuses divulged. Sakura's father was a very understanding man. Soon, Sakura and he bid farewell to Li, walking to the door just in time to encounter Li's elder sister coming in.  
  
"Oh!" She squeaked in surprise. She and Li rarely had guests, so seeing anyone other than her little brother in the apartment was a surprise. Setting down her hand bag, she shook hands with Sakura's father as even more introductions were made. Turning to Sakura, she smiled, recognising her as the girl from her sibling's drawings. "Would you like some tea? Or coffee?" She offered as she hung her coat up upon the stand, shaking her hair to dislodge some of the water that had taken up residence there. However, due to the time he declined and the two soon bade good-bye and left back into the rain. As soon as they were gone, Li slumped down onto the couch, a red tinge still on his cheeks, and a dreamy look in his eyes.  
  
When Sakura arrived home, she immediately ran for her room, hoping to avoid her brother and the annoying barrage of questions that were sure to follow. She made it to her door and just began to turn the handle when she heard his voice.  
  
"Hey, kaijou! What exactly were you and the brat doing that made you forget the time!"  
  
Sakura turned around, highly agitated. Her brother's teasing was bad enough, but the insinuations were worse. The questioning swiftly turned into an argument that took the cry of their father to get them to stop and go to bed.  
  
Saturday. As with all young people, a certain tradition followed with these days. You woke up earlier and brighter than on a school day, and applied that energy to the process of slothing the morning away in front of the TV. For Sakura Kinomoto, this was no different. Promptly leaping out of bed, she grabbed some cereal, Kero and the remote and dropped herself down before the TV, willing to indulge her inner child with the glory of Saturday Morning cartoons. While sitting their, stuffing her face with chocolaty cereal, Sakura suddenly remembered that she'd promised to go round to see Li and get the drawing. Reaching for the phone, she dialled in his number (having noted it down along with his address). At Li's house, a similar ritual was in place. Li sat, clad in his green pyjamas, his sketch pad before him. Occasionally, a smile would enter his face as something on the TV amused him. He returned his eyes to the sketch pad, jotting down his name and date on the now finished drawing, when the phone rang. Reaching over, Li picked it up with one hand, the other supporting the pad in front of him as he admired his work.  
  
"Moshi moshi. Li residence. Syaoran speaking." He droned into the phone, his mind more focused on the figure on the pad.  
  
"Hi Li!" Sakura chirped down the phone, causing Li's attention to shift immediately. "It's Sakura. I was wondering when it would be okay to come round."  
  
A blush instantly crept upon Li's face as he remembered the agreement from the night before, and why he had been finishing the picture that rested on his lap. Stuttering at first, Li began to respond.  
  
"H-h-hi Sakura. Ummm...a-any time would be fine, really." He responded nervously, tugging at the collar of his top.  
  
A light giggle emitted from the receiver, as Sakura enjoyed the cuteness of Li's nervousness. "Okay then, I'll come round in about an hour then. By the way Li, are you watching Tom and Jerry right now?"  
  
A slight wave of embarrassment hit Li, as he thought whether or not to be honest. Deciding that, in this case, honesty may be the best policy (after all, she had to be watching it too) he stuttered out a 'yes'.  
  
Sakura giggled before speaking into the phone. "Don't you ever wonder how Tom intends to kill Jerry if everything that supposed to kill Jerry keeps happening to him and he's fine?"  
  
Li was puzzled by the bizarre question, but before he could respond, he heard a loud burst of laughter and then Sakura saying good bye and promising to be there in an hour.  
  
And hour and thirty minutes later, Li was sitting, fully dressed upon the couch, wandering where Sakura was. Had she just been joking about coming round so he'd get his hopes up and spend the whole day waiting for a girl who wasn't coming? Before the nasty little voice in his head could comment, Li shook the thought away. She said he was her friend, and he trusted her. Sure enough, the doorbell rang and Li made his way over, sliding across the polished floor in his socks, and pulled the door open to reveal a slightly out of breath Sakura.  
  
"Sorry, sorry, sorry," She babbled as she wobbled in, suddenly lurching forward as she tripped over her own feet, but felt Li's arms encircle her, saving her from the floor. Both of their faces turned blood read, as said liquid rushed through their body at the situation. Not moving to get up, Sakura proceeded to explain the reason for her lateness. "I'm really sorry Li, I missed my bus and then got on the next one, but it took a longer route and..."  
  
Li hoisted her back to her feet, but his arms stayed by her sides, and he began to cut off the stream of excuses. "It's okay Sakura. You don't have to apologise. I wasn't doing anything anyway, though I was a bit worried." Li smiled reassuringly, as his mind screamed 'ARGH! Did I really say that out loud!?'  
  
Sakura felt herself leaning closer to Li, her arms sliding up his. "You were...worried about me?" She asked, finding her eyes becoming half closed.  
  
"Yeah...I was..." Li responded, his voice little more than a whisper, his face centimetres apart from hers.  
  
They drew closers, feeling the warm breath of the other upon their face. The voice in Li's head screamed at him, crying for him to stop, but it fell on deaf ears as Li ran on auto pilot, his eyes sliding down to Sakura's lips. A sudden crashing sound caused the pair to jump apart, their hands covering their swiftly beating hearts. A loud cry of frustration soon followed.  
  
"ARGH! Damn it!" Julie's head suddenly appeared from around the archway to the kitchen. "Syaoran, could you pass me the broom please, oh hello Sakura." She greeted warmly as she noticed the girl, though not the redness in her cheeks.  
  
Apologising swiftly, Li darted off to the cupboard and fetched the broom and passed it to Julie, who had rather unfortunately shattered a nice bowl (but this fic's not about her). Returning to the living room, a very embarrassed Li picked up the sketch pad, tearing the picture from it's place and handing it to Sakura.  
  
"Umm...h-here ya' go. I finished it off this morning." Li stuttered.  
  
Sakura felt herself grow more comfortable, as her senses returned to normal. Though her mind was screaming, 'YOU ALMOST KISSED HIM! OH MY GOD YOU ALMOST KISSED HIM!"  
  
"Thanks Li. Hey, would you like to...ummm...y'know, hang out today?"  
  
Li was caught off guard by the question, and was unsure of how to respond, not wanting to cause the girl any problems.  
  
"Y-yeah I would. But...uh, are you sure, I mean."  
  
"Yeah I'm sure." Sakura smiled. "I don't know much about this place anyway, and I'm sure you'd be a good guide." She smiled, wrapping her arm around his.  
  
Li blushed profoundly, but did his best to hide it from her. "Okay then. Julie! I'll be back in a bit okay?" He called to his sister.  
  
After a reassuring response and the passing over of money for lunch, Li and Sakura exited the apartment and headed down in the lift.  
  
'Li is so sweet. I don't know how anyone can be mean to him.' Sakura thought as she smiled at her friend. 'I'm going to make this the best day of his life!' Sakura swore to herself as the lift bumped to a stop and the two walked out into the morning sun.  
  
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Me: Well, that's not bad for an 8th chapter.  
  
Kero: They'll kill you for skipping on the kiss y'know.  
  
Me: Heh heh. Good things come to those who wait.  
  
Kero: Then the chapters you made for your other fics must be fantastic.  
  
Me: ARGH! I FORGOT MY OTHER FICS!!!  
  
Kero: HOW COULD YOU! GET TO WORK ON THEM NOW!!! 


	9. Ying Fa Dojo

Me: Okay. To those who have actually read my other fics, I apologise for not updating them in this life time.

Kero: You better be.

Me: I truly am. I'm a lazy, lazy sod.

Kero: It's true.

Me: I have, however, decided to update this one (cause it's my fav).

Kero: And he doesn't own CardCaptors.

Chapter 9 – The Ying Fa Dojo.

The sun shone through patches in a cloudy sky as the pair made their way out of Syaoran's apartment. Sakura wore a light pink tank top and a pair of denim shorts that Syaoran couldn't help but notice. He himself wore a dark green 'hoodie' with a red tee shirt underneath, and a worn pair of navy combat trousers. As the padded down the street, Sakura neglected to release Syaoran's arm from hers...not that he minded.

'I cannot believe this...I really cannot believe this.' Syaoran thought to himself as they made their way along. 'She really does like me...AND I almost kissed her...I can't believe I almost did that...what if we hadn't stopped? What would she have said! What would she have done! What if...'

His train of thought was cut off as Sakura came to a stop, as they were linked arm in arm; Syaoran was also pulled to a stop. "What's wrong?" Syaoran asked.

Noticing the link, Sakura quickly pulled her arm from Syaoran's, uttering apologies, before pointing over the source of her confusion.

"It's that building over there. I'm just wondering what's in it."

Following her arm, Li's face broke into a reminiscing smile at the sight of the worn down building. Faded flyers were pinned to it, images of various people in various outfits. Worn wooden doors marked with large Chinese symbols in faded gold paint shone bright in Syaoran's eyes as he surveyed the building. Grabbing hold of Sakura's arm, he pulled her towards the door.

"Come with me and I'll show you." He spoke ominously.

Pulling a confused Sakura behind him, Syaoran fished out an old brass key and pushed it into the lock on the door, creaking it open and guiding Sakura into the dark room.

"Stay there." He whispered.

Reaching across with practiced ease, he picked up a set of matches and lit a series of candles and tapers, slowly filling the room with light, revealing an old dojo. The walls were lined with photos of past fighters and trophies. Old uniforms hung in glass cases, and at the top of the room was a set of stairs leading to the top floor of the squat building. There were windows, but all were boarded up, blocking out the natural light.

"Sorry about the lack of electricity, but no-one can foot the bill for it."

"Oh wow..." Sakura's voice was just above a breath as she walked across the wooden floor and onto the worn mat's. Looking in on cabinets filled with weapons, admiring the marker's of victory, and faded photographs trapping memories and champions forever. "Oh wow oh wow...Syaoran...what is this place."

Grinning as nostalgia flooded his senses; Syaoran came to stand beside her, his own eyes admiring the picture of a young man standing proud, a young girl of a bout 12 stood beside him, holding a title belt aloft, while a young boy of a about 6 sat on his shoulder's waving to the camera.

"This dojo has existed for about 100 years, and most people forget it's here. Anyway, when we moved here, despite all the things haunting my family, the sensei of this place welcomed in my family, he helped us get our apartment, and my father began to fight here. He abandoned his old style, the one of our clan, and learnt the sensei's technique." Pointing to the photograph before them, he lay his finger above the proud man. "That's my father there...it was 4 years before...before...anyway, he had just won the middle weight title in the local contest between the city's dojos. That's me on his shoulders, and Julie holding the belt. My mum took the picture."

With a sigh, Li looked around the old Dojo.

"After the sensei died, the number of people coming began to diminish. My father still came every day...every day until...well..."

Placing a hand on Syaoran's shoulder, Sakura pulled him into a hug as he rested his head on top of Sakura's, getting his emotions back under control. Regaining control of himself, Syaoran briefly returned the hug and then moved across to the stairs.

"Come here." He smiled across to Sakura.

She followed him up into a room already lit by candles. It shone brilliantly as ornaments around pictures of different men and women began to glow in the light. She allowed her eyes to stray briefly to Li as he replaced burnt out candles and refilled empty oil lamps.

"This shrine has never been dark, so it's kind of important to me to keep it light. So I come here as often as I can to check on it."

Sakura gazed at the pictures, various items surrounded them. At the head of the room there was a photo of a very old man, surrounded by the most items. Walking beside her, Syaoran gave a bow to the photograph, before re-lighting some of the candles.

"That's the last sensei of the dojo. Not only was he the greatest fighter to live...but he was the kindest soul. He lived in this dojo...it was his life...he'd turn in his grave if he could see it now...well...if he hadn't been cremated as well..."

Sakura let out a light giggle at the joke and looked over some of the items. Valuable jewellery was lain out, Ming vases and dried flowers. There was also a small rubber duck and plastic hair brush right next to the picture. With a light chuckle, Syaoran looked down on the small trinkets.

"Those were left by Julie and I...Sensei was part of the family to us. He'd often come over and eat with us; he was also a great cook himself. I missed him dearly when he died." Turning his head slightly, he nodded to a small shrine in the corner. "I made that one for my parents. There's not much there though."

Walking across the wooden floor, Sakura knelt beside the small shrine. The picture showed the couple smiling happily, it was their wedding photo. She couldn't help but notice how much Syaoran and his father looked alike, only his father had much neater hair. Looking down, a small teddy bear and a broach lay beside it.

"That was my bear...my mum gave it to me when I was 5...to keep my nightmares away, and the broach was a gift my father gave Julie, it was said to bring good luck. I put them here to allow them peace and the best in the afterlife." Syaoran informed her sinking down beside her, his head hung low.

Leaning her head against his shoulder, Sakura wrapped an arm around his waist and held a soft smile on her face.

"Li...thank you for showing me this place."

"Places like this can't be forgotten about...I can't let the memory of these people die..."

"It's hard for the memory of a dojo to live without people to fight for it."

"It still has one student."

"It does?"

A smile returned to Syaoran's face then. Standing up, he gave Sakura a deep bow.

"My lady, you kneel beside the final student of the Ying Fa dojo."

Reaching down his hand, Sakura accepted and allowed him to help her up.

"So you're really a student of this dojo?"

Blushing, Syaoran rubbed the back of his neck in nervousness.

"Well...pretty much. I'm mostly self taught...from reading manuscripts and watching old fights on tape...but the dojo was left to it's students in the sensei's will. So the dojo now belongs to me."

The pair began to walk downstairs, when Sakura made a small request.

"Hey you show me some of your...uh...moves?" Sakura asked, feeling very nervous and silly.

With a bow, Syaoran led her to a seat at the side and removed his hoodie and shoes, laying them beside the chair and moved to the centre of the room. Giving a bow to his audience, Syaoran began to run through his well rehearsed routine.

Sakura couldn't help but be amazed by his movements. She had watched a lot of martial arts movie's in her time, and seen a few of the fights in the Olympics, but she hadn't seen anything quite like this. In a way, it was more like a graceful dance than martial arts. Syaoran swept around the mat, arching and twisting his body as though dodging invisible blows, and then sweeping in at his non-existent opponent with a series of graceful swipes and strikes. His hair lashed around his face as he moved, he seemed to glow as the candle lights shone around him and he continued his dance in the windowless room. After about 10 minutes, Syaoran came to a halt and bowed before Sakura, who gave him a small round of applause. As Syaoran pulled off his now sweaty tee-shirt and pulled the hoodie back over his body, Sakura, while covering her blush, decided to ask a rather obvious question.

"Li, if you can do all of that awesome butt kicking stuff, why do you let people pick on you?"

Looking down, Syaoran tightened his shoe laces before standing up. Facing away from Sakura, he began to give his answer.

"Because...because I can fight like that...When you're strong enough to split a cinder block in half with a single blow...you have to wonder what you could do to a person. I just...I don't want to hurt anyone...No matter what they do to me...I can take it...I just...I'm afraid that I might do something that would get me kicked outta school...and it would break Julie's heart...she does so much so I can go there, and learn everything I'll need for a better life than I have now...I can't do that to her."

Taking the hint, Sakura said no more as the two put out the candles and exited the Dojo. Once more, Sakura took hold of Syaoran's arm and pulled herself close to him, causing both to blush deeply.

"Li...you're probably the most selfless and kindest person I have ever had the pleasure of meeting."

Walking down the street, Syaoran smiled broadly, enjoying the girl's company as they headed into town. He felt that soon, very soon, all the sorrow he had in his heart, would be blown away by this girl.

There was no denying it...

He was falling in love.

Me: Woah! Did I just write that chapter?

Kero: I guess you did?

Me: Seriously, I have no idea how I wrote that! Oh well. As long as it's good and brings in some reviews.

Kero: I'm more concerned about your other fics...

Me: ARGH! GOMEN! I PROMISE I'LL GET THEM DONE!!!


	10. Ying Fa Style Lives

Kero: Good to see you back in the...WHAT THE CRAP HAPPENED TO YOUR FACE!!!

Me: Ah. Okay, I get the point. Apologies for not putting up a chapter in ages.

Kero: grabs Keyo by his hair and points at various cuts and bruises And what's this about?

Me: Ah. Some thug did a number on my face today (29/10/04), I'm okay, really.

Kero: I WOULDN'T CALL THAT OKAY!!!

Me: I swear to god I'm fine! I'm writing this chapter aren't I!!!

Kero: Okay...but when you're done you're going to go lie down!

Me: Actually, I plan on going and seeing a movie.

Kero: WHAT!

Me: Uhh...Don't own CCS...Clamp does. Oh, and I'm going to use the Japanese names for all the cast now. Oh, there's also some strong language in this chapter. Apologies.

Kero: HURRY UP! YOU NEED REST!!!!

'' thoughts

"" speach

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Chapter 10 – Ying Fa Style Lives.

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The two spent the rest of the morning wandering around the town. Syaoran giving Sakura a grand tour, and pointing out all of the shopping districts and directing her to where the nightclubs lay (which he avoided like the plague). For lunch, the two visited a small restaurant Syaoran visited on a regular basis. The two sat in a corner table as the waiter (who boasted an Italian accent) took their order.

The restaurant was covered with photographs, mostly black and white, practically telling its history. Founders, workers, customers...all were shown; different times and worlds were on show.

"Wow...this place is amazing..." Sakura exclaimed in wonder, looking around as she waited for her meal.

"Yeah." Li agreed. "It's about as old as the Dojo. See that picture there, you can see the Dojo's founder, and the restaurants founder shaking hands."

Sakura smiled and laughed at the sight, a young man with a long beard and lean figure was shaking hands with a fairly old man with a balding head. Sakura noted that the bearded man appeared in many of the photographs, with others around him. She even recognised Syaoran's father and a younger Syaoran.

"After every tournament, win or lose, they Dojo members would come here to celebrate. It was kind of a tradition."

After lunch, two then proceeded to walk through the park, taking a trail through the forest. It was a place where, very clearly, few people from the school went. It was very peaceful and quiet, the only sounds being of the birds and the bubbling river that ran through the woods. Sitting down on a low tree branch, Sakura surveyed the beautiful area, while Syaoran scrambled higher up.

"This place is so beautiful Li." Sakura spoke dreamily. The pink flowers from the tree floating down around her.

"Yeah." Li sighed, withholding the comment he wished to make.

The two sat and talked for the next few hours. About school, about their lives and things in general. As the evening settled in, Syaoran walked Sakura home, taking her up to the door (not knowing that they were being watched by Touya from the top window.

"Thanks a lot Li. Today's been great." Sakura beamed, that heart warming smile that was at this moment making Syaoran melt.

"Ummm...yah...So did I..." Syaoran blushed. "And you don't have to keep calling me 'Li'. You can call me Syaoran y'know."

"Thanks...Syaoran." Leaning in, she quickly kissed him on the cheek, give another smile, and walked through the door.

Syaoran stood still for a few moments, his hand running across his cheek. Smiling broadly, he turned around had began to head for home, happier than he had been in a long while.

The sky was turning a burning orange as he walked, the sun setting in the distance. Syaoran paused. The streets were nice and quiet, and his cheek still felt warm. Today had been a good day.

Footsteps...

He heard them. Turning, he decided that today could possibly take a downward turn. Coming up toward him, looking very...well...nasty...was probably the biggest Jerk in his school.

His name was Mark Tow. Like Syaoran, he was Chinese in decent. And unlike Syaoran, he was a complete and utter git. In fact, he was a raving psychopath. 

"What do you want?" Syaoran asked, holding his ground. He never ran. He'd get beat up, but never run.

"To talk to you." Mark responded, a very venomous note in his voice, which Syaoran noted right before Mark's fist connected with his jaw.

It was the way it often went. Syaoran too gentle to fight back, to worn down to resist. All the while, as Mark beat him, he kept ranting.

"Don't speak to me like that you little shit! You damn little shit! You worthless shit!"

Same as always Syaoran thought. The thug never needed a reason to beat on him, and he smelt a little drunk. Breaking away lightly, Syaoran panted, gaining back his breath. His face hurt quite a bit, and he noticed blood on his hand as he wiped his lip. Then Mark started again.

"Y'know. It always gets to me. No matter what I do to you, you never fall! You never cry! You always keep that damn look on your face....And your eyes! That look...Maybe...maybe I should go for that girl..."

'No!'

"That Sakura chick your seem to be so fond of...I've seen you two...damn bitch...she turns down everyone who comes after her...I bet she would feel real nice..."

'No! Not her...not Sakura.'

"So soft and weak. She would feel real nice."

"NO!"

In one swift fluid movement, Syaoran knocked Mark back hard, winding him lightly, his body adopting to the fighting stance he knew so well.

The final student from Ying Fa Dojo was ready to fight.

"Think you can take me eh? YOU LITTLE SHIT!" Mark rushed forward, lashing out, finding each of his hits blocked.

"You...disgust me..." Syaoran uttered, before lashing out himself.

He danced around his opponent, keeping him from being able to block, raining down one blow after another, pummelling his body into submission, his attacks were a blur as he lashed out with his most singular style.

He wasn't fighting for revenge.

He was fighting for _her_...she meant more to him than anything...even his own life.

And he only now realised why.

It was easy...way too easy. Mark wasn't even in Syaoran's league in a real fight. He couldn't land any blows while Syaoran dodged around and struck again and again, no longer caring about the consequences, he had to protect her. Rolling as Mark punched out again, Syaoran stood up and delivered a kick to his head. Mark dropped to the ground, panting heavily, blood leaking from his lip, bruises growing all over him.

"I swear to god...If you ever so much as threaten Sakura..." Syaoran lent into close to Mark's ear. "I will _kill_ you."

Mark nodded dumbly, too afraid to do otherwise, his body screaming with pain.

Resuming his walk, Syaoran once more wiped the blood from his face. He couldn't believe he had just done that. All the consequences of his actions began to spin through his mind, terrifying him. Upon arriving home, he wrote a swift note for his sister and ran down to the dojo, sitting up in the attic among the mementos and shrines. Rain began to fall as he sat cross legged, praying to the souls of masters long gone for guidance.

In the Kinomoto household, Sakura slammed her door shut and flumped down on her bed. Trust her brother to be a complete pain in the ass. One kiss...to the cheek! And he's acting like she slept with him...jeez...

Rolling over and curling up, Sakura drifted into happy dreams as a smile crept on her face, while Syaoran sat drifting into his own sleep full of very different dreams, his realisation floating through his mind.

Why he had fought to defend her, when he never would to defend himself.

Why he was willing to risk everything for her like that.

He had fallen in love with her.

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Me: Okay, quite a short chapter, but it's better than nothing. I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed so far, and starting next chapter I will be doing individual thanks.

Kero: GO TO BED! You should be resting.

Me: STOP FUSSING!

In detail what happened was my face was turned into a living, fleshy, punch bag. I've got two ring marks on my face and I will be pressing charges for assault against the guy. This chapter pans out a little differently from what I originally intended, I was going to have Syaoran just get beaten up for no reason, but after what happened today, I couldn't do that, I had to mark some justice in the world so I had him kick the crap outta him.

Mark will be a reappearing antagonist. And good news, Eriol will appear next chapter (hopefully).


	11. My Dear Little Cousin

Kero: You're an odd one y'know.

Me: How so?

Kero: You get assaulted, and you go on to write a chapter, squat happens for weeks (save for police crap) and you don't write anything!

Me: Hey! I've been busy! I had to train to qualify for my life guard exam y'know!

Kero: Fine fine. I hope you remember that you promised the reviewers that Eriol would appear.

Me: I remember, and he will, I promise. Roll the disclaimer!

Kero: Keyo doesn't own CCS, just this original story concept and his own laziness.

Me: Hey!

Kero: It's true! I mean, don't you have homework you should be doing?

Me: Err…lets start the story shall we?

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Chapter 11 – My Dear Little Cousin

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The sunlight did not penetrate the Ying Fa dojo, and Syaoran remained in his trance like sleep. His night was spent in more meditation than rest, he needed to think, he needed guidance, but he knew not who to turn to.

He had a dream though. The image of the late master had appeared to him, and told him that an event was coming at the breaking of dawn that would change his life here even more than it already had been, and that everything would be alright.

Syaoran had a suspicion that when this event came, he wasn't going to like it.

A loud banging at the dojo's door forced him awake.

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Sakura smiled brightly as she walked down the street. Her smile was partly due to the fact that she'd escaped the house before Touya could get on at her again for kissing Syaoran on the cheek.

Speaking of Syaoran, it was him that she was going to see. She really enjoyed his company and whenever she was around him, she got this weird warm fuzzy feeling in her stomach. She didn't even know why she had kissed him that day! Whenever she thought about it (like she was just now) she would blush (like she was just now). In any case, she liked that warm fuzzy feeling, and so she had caught an early morning bus and walked round to his house, only to be told by Julie that Syaoran had left a note last night, saying he was going to spend the night in the dojo, so naturally, that was where Sakura began to go. She froze though, when she saw Syaoran standing outside the dojo, and a girl with long black hair leap upon him, engulfing him in a tight hug. A burning sensation filled Sakura, though she was unsure why, and even more unsure of why she ducked behind the dojo wall to watch.

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Syaoran cried out as he was effectively 'glomped' by the black haired girl. Before he could even try and break free, she had shot round behind him, clasped an arm around his neck, and used her free hand to ruffle his already messy hair.

"Heyo Syaoran! Bet you weren't expecting to see me anytime soon!" She grinned, not stopping her attack on his hair.

Waving his arms behind him, Syaoran grabbed a hold of the girl and pulled her round before him where she crossed her arms and looked him over.

"Gee Syaoran, you look like hell! Don't worry! I won't ask! I know you get a lot of bother."

Sakura stood confused at what the girl said, and tried to see around her to see Syaoran, but found that she couldn't.

'Who the heck is this girl?' She thought. 'And what's she saying about my Syaoran…wait, 'my'? What the hell am I thinking?' Brushing her thoughts aside, she continued to watch the pair.

"Now stop being rude and greet an old friend like you should! Before I go public with your e-mails!"

Syaoran sighed, running a hand through his hair to restore it to its original level of mess.

"Hey Mei-Ling, it's good to see you." He half-yawned. "When'd you get here?"

Mei-Ling smiled, and tossed one of her long pony-tails off her shoulder and behind her. The crimson eyed girl was clad in an equally crimson sleeveless dress that fell to her knees, and her sandals boosted her height enough to come up to Syaoran's nose.

"Last night. It's heart wrenching to be away from my beloved BF, but it's worth it to pick on you in person again! And to see your face when I tell you this very important news!"

Syaoran's eyebrow rose.

"What news?" He ventured to ask.

Various things flashed through his head. Along the lines of 'I'm pregnant. I'm engaged. I'm engaged and pregnant. I used to be a man. I used to be a man, and I'm now pregnant and engaged.' None of these scenarios's prepared him for what the awful news was though.

"Eriol's behind you."

Syaoran's face widened in horror, the exact reaction Mei-Ling had been dying to see. Before he could even turn around, an arm was slung about his shoulder and his hair was once more heavily ruffled.

"Well if it isn't my dear little cousin!" The blue haired boy smiled somewhat evilly. "Fancy meeting you here!"

Syaoran let out a large yell, which went along the lines of 'ARGH!' Whipping away from his glasses wearing cousin, Syaoran turned to face him.

"NEVER DO THAT AGAIN!"

Eriol smiled that evil, yet sincere looking, smile of his had his ruffled relative.

"Of course my dear little cousin, whatever you say."

"That's what you said last time he told you never to do that again." Mei-Ling said a grin on her face.

"And stop calling me 'little cousin!', you're only 3 days older than I am."

"Of course."

"And that's what you said last time he told you never to call him that again." Mei-Ling was almost bursting with laughter.

"My, my Syaoran." Eriol said, his voice half sincere, half mocking. "Loose a fight to your shadow did you?" His eyes glanced over the marks on his cousin's face.

"C'mon, we'll go back into the dojo and clean you up, Julie'll never know." Mei-Ling smiled.

Syaoran nodded, he really appreciated his friend keeping this quiet from his sister, and the three turned to go into the dojo. Sakura leaned further out from the corner, trying desperately to see Syaoran, wondering what was wrong with him. It was then that she lost her balance and fell onto the street with a large 'thud'.

"Sakura!" Syaoran cried after whirling around and seeing her sprawled out on the pavement, a klutzy grin on her face and waving sheepishly.

"Hey Syaoran I…" Looking up, she saw the bruises and cuts on Syaoran's face, in a flash she was on her feet and clutching at his face, causing him to go bright red, as she looked over his wounds more closely. "Syaoran! What happened to you!"

Syaoran, however, had effectively been reduced to a bubbling pile of goo, and was unable to get out any coherent words. Leaning into his ear, Mei-Ling whispered to him.

"I take it that this was the girl you e-mailed me about." She said, grinning broadly, causing Syaoran to go into an even deeper shade, and shut up completely.

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After a good half hour of Mei-Ling dabbing at Syaoran with various bits of make-up to clean and hide the bruises. During that time, Mei-Ling had managed to force what had happened from Syaoran (via threatening and attempting to break his arm). They were all currently sitting down on the mats in the dojo hall.

"So in the end, he came off worse than you?" Eriol asked.

Syaoran simply nodded in response.

"Way to go!" Mei-Ling cried. "I kept telling you to kick these guys asses!"

Syaoran didn't reply, he was still worried with what could happen if Mark went to the police or something, right and wrong weren't so straight forward now-a-days.

Sakura meanwhile had remained quite, a hand over her heart as she listened to Syaoran talk. Currently Mei-Ling was berating him about all the other times he should have done things like this. She remembered what he'd said the other day, why he never fought back, and knowing that this one time that he had fought was not because he was under attack, but because she had been threatened. He had been willing to risk everything for her.

'What is this…my chest feels tight…'

Breaking from her thoughts, Sakura found Syaoran crouched before her, shaking her shoulder lightly.

"Hey Sakura? You okay? We're going now."

Looking up at him and nodding, she accepted his help in getting up and together with Eriol and Mei-Ling, they left the dojo.

"So Eriol…You're Syaoran's cousin?" Sakura asked, breaking the forming silence.

"I certainly am." The dark haired boy smiled.

"Three times removed." Syaoran added, scowling lightly.

Sakura chuckled as she watched the two boys argue, Eriol maintaining his flamboyant nature all the way through.

"Tomoyo would really love him." She said to herself.

It was then a very cheerful and bouncy Tomoyo did appear from the seeming nowhere and suddenly wrapped her arms around Sakura's neck in an embrace so tight that Sakura rapidly began to turn blue.

"Excuse us please." She smiled and pulled Sakura off into a side-street while the other three stared at the spot they had been at in stark confusion.

As soon as they were out of sight and ear-shot, Tomoyo released Sakura from her death-grip, allowing the poor girl to breathe again.

"Tomoyo what are you…" The girl was cut off as Tomoyo placed a finger on her lips to silence her.

"Sakura! What did I tell you about hanging around with Li! It can only lead to trouble!" Tomoyo began to rant, arms flailing to add extra emphasis to every word.

"But Tomoyo…"

"I don't want to see you cut out and isolated just because your friends with him."

"Rather than leave him cut out and isolated from everyone because I'm not?" Sakura said with a sigh. "Tomoyo, he's a really great guy. Since I came here, a lot of the guys in school have been real perverted creeps, at my last school it was the same. But Syaoran…he's just…he's just so nice…he gets so much bother from everyone, he has every reason to hate people…but he doesn't…he…" Tomoyo once more cut her off by gently placing a finger over he lips, a knowing look on her face.

"I understand." She smiled. Looking around the corner, she spotted Syaoran and Eriol arguing, while Mei-Ling laughed at the pair. "I suppose you better get back to them then. I wouldn't want to keep you too long."

Sakura noticed Tomoyo's look as she began to stare at Eriol. In the space of time she had known Tomoyo, she had learned to read some of the different looks the girl could get. Such as that stary eyed look she got when she spotted some nice fabric, and would then enter a rant about how she could use it to make some amazing dress and how 'kawaii' one of her friends would look in it.

"You're welcome to come with us if you want. We were really just wandering around. Mei-Ling and Eriol came over to visit from China. At the moment they're really just catching up with Syaoran." Sakura said, a broad grin on her face.

Licking her lips, Tomoyo contemplated the idea.

"Well…I suppose it couldn't hurt…" She consented, her gaze constantly wondering up and down Eriol.

The two proceeded out from the side street and back to the group.

"Eriol, Mei-Ling, this is Tomoyo, a friend of mine from School."

Mei-Ling gave a cheery wave and a simple 'hi', while Eriol stepped forward and took Tomoyo's hand in his.

"A pleasure to meet you." He then bent down and kissed Tomoyo's hand, and Tomoyo's face had the natural reaction of going a very deep shade of red. "It is truly a privillage to meet one so beautiful as your self, and it makes my coming here all the more worthwhile."

At this point Tomoyo was drawing close to passing out from a mushy speech overload, her entire being had gone crimson and Sakura was sure that if Eriol's smile became more charming, the poor girl would melt.

"I don't know how he does it. He always seemed to have this kind of on-board mega-charm installed in his being." Mei-Ling grinned as they began walking again. Tomoyo had quite recovered and was now pointing out the various shops and places of interest in a rapid fire tour guide fashion, causing Eriol's head to spin rapidly.

"Over there's the shop where I buy all my sewing stuff, there's the local ice-rink, there's the cinema and…"

"Ooooh! A cinema! Let's go see a movie!" Mei-Ling cried, whipping around from her conversation with Sakura and accidentally smacking her in the face with her pony-tails.

It was agreed on and the 5-some headed to the complex and looked over the films. Deciding they were in the mood for a laugh, the picked 'Disney& Pixars (Me: Not owned by me) The Incredibles (Me: Awesome film, but again, not owned by me).' While the others were purchasing snacks, Sakura turned to Syaoran who had been quiet since Tomoyo had joined the group.

"Hey Syaoran, you okay? You've been really quiet." She asked with a deep concern.

Turning with a slight 'Hm' sound, Syaoran, looked down to the red carpeted, crushed popcorn and chewing gum stained floor.

"Sorry. It's just…I'm really uncomfortable in groups…I never have been…even with people I know…It's part of the reason I was picked on at first…" He went quite and rather red when Sakura linked her arm with his.

"Then just stick by me!" She smiled. "I'll talk for both of us!"

Syaoran couldn't help but grin at the cheerful girl and the two proceeded to catch up with the others as they went to get their seats. Only Mei-Ling noticed the linked arms, and as Syaoran walked by her whispered loud enough for only him to hear.

"Syaoran and Sakura sitting in a tree…K-I-S-S-I-N-G…"

Suffice to say, Syaoran went bright red and Mei-Ling had to stick a large gobstopper in her mouth to stop herself from laughing out loud.

The movie was very, very much loved by all. Although Syaoran often found it hard to pay attention, as Sakura had neglected to release her grip on his arm, so whenever something exciting happened, she would grip tighter on to it, something sentimental, and she would lean into him. When Tomoyo noticed what was happening and Syaoran's face, she whispered to Mei-Ling that she wished she was allowed her camera in the theatre, and Mei-Ling said if she had been, she would have wanted a copy of the pictures.

After the movie (and when Sakura realised she had held Syaoran's arm all the way through it, leading to at least 10-minutes of silent blushing from the girl) the group paid a visit to the restaurant that Syaoran and Sakura had been in the other day. Tomoyo couldn't believe that she never knew this place existed, and wouldn't stop saying that Syaoran looked very 'kawaii' when he was small. The ate and talked, Eriol seemed to be focusing all his charm and attention on Tomoyo (who was very receptive), meaning Syaoran received a break from Mei-Ling's looks and taunts while she focused on Eriol.

They proceeded to spend a period of the afternoon simply ambling around town giving out a more extended tour, until it came that they had wound up at the old dojo.

"So this is the place you guys mentioned…" Tomoyo whispered (okay, she doesn't need to whisper, but it's for atmosphere) as she entered the dark room. Then, like Sakura before her, she was in awe as the room became lit by candles and tapers, showing all the old relics.

"I must say little cousin, you've kept the place in very good condition. I'm impressed." Eriol smiled, receiving a 'humph' in reply.

It was then that a wicked smirk played on Mei-Ling face as she looked at the boys and around the room.

"Heeey Syaoran…Eriol…how about you give the girls here a demonstration of your talents."

Both boys turned to look at Mei-Ling, a confused look on Syaoran's face, and a somewhat scary smile on Eriol's.

"Oh, Syaoran showed me some of his techniques yesterday." Sakura said, blushing lightly as a blush crept on Syaoran's face at the same time.

"Ree-hee heally…" Mei-Ling chuckled, turning to her brown haired friend. "How about a little match then you two." She was beginning to resemble the Cheshire cat.

Before either could say anything, the two were pushed onto the mats. Eriol's glasses were snatched from his face, and they found their tops being pulled from their bodies by their enthusiastic, maniac friend.

"Taa daa!" She pronounced, turning to the girls. She happily noted that both had began to stare a bit at the well formed bodies of the boys. Guiding the pair into their seats, (as they were drawing close to the point of drooling) Mei-Ling proceeded to the other side of the mat and stood by the two combatants.

"Bow to me!" She called.

As if on reflex, both boys turned and bowed to Mei-Ling, their eyes fixed on her.

"Bow to each other."

They did, eyes on eyes.

"FIGHT!"

The two snapped into fighting posses. Syaoran using his unique 'Ying-Fa' style, and Eriol using basic Karate.

The two girls cheered on their chosen boy and enjoyed the fight. Syaoran faltered a bit as Eriol kept talking and trying to distract him.

"Come on my little cousin. Surely you've not gotten that sloppy?"

"Less talking more fighting!" Syaoran would cry in response, dash forward, and get tripped.

When the fight was done, and Mei-Ling scolded for not keeping track of the score so they'd know who had won, the group began to put out the lights to leave.

"Well Syaoran, at least now you have an excuse for the marks on your face." Eriol grinned as they finished up and headed outside. Upon opening the doors, they realised that the sky had turned very dark.

"Phweeeeeeeeeeee! I told my dad I'd be back before it got dark! I'm dead meat!" Sakura cried as she realised the state of the sky.

Syaoran turned to her, concern showing in his eyes. The last thing he wanted was to see Sakura in trouble.

"Look, I'll come back with you and tell your dad what happened, that way you shouldn't be in any bother okay?" Sakura smiled and thanked him. Tomoyo bid her goodbyes and headed off down the street, deciding to walk home.

"How about you two? Where are you staying?"

Mei-Ling found it very hard to stifle her laughter and Eriol grinned broadly.

"Oh dear little cousin. It seems I failed to inform you that we shall be staying with you during our visit, and that we shall be attending school with you."

It took both Mei-Ling and Sakura to prise Syaoran's hands from Eriol's neck and the four split up to go their separate ways. Mei-Ling and Eriol to Syaoran's house, and Sakura and Syaoran to Sakura's house.

"So how long will they be staying?" Sakura asked as they got a seat on the bus.

Syaoran suddenly sat up, stiff as a board, a look of horror on his face and Sakura could only laugh as she realised the indefinite time of his friend's visit.

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Me: YES! YES! I DID IT! I FINISHED THE 3000 WORD CHAPTER IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS!!!

Kero: 3,121 words to be precise.

Me: w00t! Now no one will execute me for not writing! I hope you all enjoy it. And as a special Christmas treat, and something I hope to keep up from now on, I will respond to all the reviews from the previous chapter! (sorry if I miss any)

**heykyral3** : 1: Violence isn't the answer to problems in life. And I didn't intend to write that scene there. But after what happened to me…damn if felt good.

2: Thanks for your concern. That matter is all settled now and I didn't go to jail. (seriously, cause he was 15 he got a warning, and cause witnesses said I struck him with a cardboard tube, and I'm 17 I faced an actual trial etc)

3: I have the same problem…only I need a girl.

4: ARGH! Okay, okay, you can put the knife down! As you obviously know now I wrote the chapter, so it's all okay…until your next review and death-threat to inspire me.

**sweet-captor**: Mine or Syaoran's?

**AnimeluvaJK**: Well, now you know what has happened and thanks for reading. I hope you liked this one two.

**adi-chan**: Don't worry, doing that melodrama thing is way to cliché and depressing. Thanks for the complements, I was hoping that my plot would be original. And I must say, you're one of the few people who opt to bribing me to write, instead of threatening my very existence.

**lilacblu**: Thanks for the advise, as you may notice, I've taken it.

**lightdragon1987**: I hope I've done him okay. I haven't actually read/seen much with Eriol in it, so I'm working off limited material (hell, I haven't even seen/read all of CCS…stupid lack of anime and manga…) Thanks for the sympathy and don't worry about spelling, it's poor grammar that really annoys me.

**ccsbrat**: Like Mulan? I'm no sure how…And thanks for calling my story kawaii.

Me: Well folks, Merry Christmas and a happy new year. Till I next move my lazy/busy ass to write.

Kero: Which may well be next Christmas…

Me: Be glad it's the season of good will. C'mon, this thing will be up on Christmas day. So that means we get party food.

Kero: Yeah, and your house gets filled with relatives!

Me: Yup.

Me and Kero: MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Next chapter - Syaoran meets Sakura's father and brother...and some other stuff I haven't thought of yet.


	12. Li in the Kinomoto Household

Me: By the time this is posted, my computer will be working again. As it is, it's been jammed up with spy-ware, which has been slowing it down, and a hacker program has been lodged in it's systems, preventing me from getting rid of it. That hacker program also ate my fire-wall from the inside…damn…

Kero: Stop whining and get on with the story! You haven't written anything in ages!

Me: Hey I've been busy! Training to be a lifeguard isn't easy!

Kero: Whatever, I still attribute

Me: I still don't own CCS, but for legal reasons I still have to remind you all so Clamp won't sue.

Chapter 12 - Li in the Kinomoto household.

Sakura couldn't stop worrying. She had made several attempts at biting her nails so far on the bus trip back to her house and had resolutely stuffed her hands in her pockets to prevent her from attempting to do so again. She wasn't worried so much about what her father might say. He would probably just give her a small lecture about how important it is to be home on time, and a few comments of 'you were starting to worry me'…what she was really worried about was the reaction of her over-protective big brother…who was likely to murder Syaoran as soon as he stepped through the door.

Syaoran…looking to the boy himself who still sat beside her, she could see that his eyes were closed. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she decided to see if he was awake. Leaning closer to him and pushing herself up from the seat (so as to equal his height) she brought her lips close to his ear and gently whispered his name. She was greatly surprised, however, when Syaoran's eyes immediately opened and he turned to face her.

Syaoran himself was, of course, greatly surprised upon turning and finding Sakura a hair's breath from his face. He had been thinking about exactly what to tell Sakura's father. Not that he had been very much worried about that, he was more worried about what to tell her brother, whom Sakura had described as being a bit over-protective and who was likely to murder him as soon as he stepped through the door. But now all he could think about was how close Sakura's face was to his, and how easy it would be to lean in and kiss her. He could feel the blood rise to his face and Sakura could feel the same happening to her. Then the bus jerked violently as it came to a sharp halt, causing Sakura, in her unsteady position, to catapult forward and flop down across Syaoran's lap.

Both were stuck silent, all Sakura could do was bury her head in the seat and blush. She didn't move until Syaoran placed his hands on her shoulders and sat her up, allowing her to notice they'd come to the stop nearest her house. The two disembarked in silence, neither looking at each other until the bus had left. It was then the pair looked to each other, Sakura scratched the back of her head, an embarrassed look on her face, while Syaoran smiled shyly. The two then walked side by side down the street, only then did conversation begin to seep in between them.

"So what are you going to tell my dad?" Sakura asked, her eyes remaining on the path before her.

"I was figuring on just going with the truth." Syaoran said, the ghost of a grin forcing itself onto his face, just as he turned to look at Sakura, causing her to grin as well.

"Well I hope it will be enough to satisfy my brother…maybe I should go in first…that way I can hold him off if he tries to kill you so you can run!" Sakura smiled playfully, and proceeded to laugh lightly, a small smile was drawn onto Syaoran's face.

"Ah, but that would place you in the path of his wrath. And I could never abandon you."

Sakura looked at Syaoran oddly. There was a deep sincerity to his words, that was reflected in his eyes; the warm fuzzy feeling in her stomach spread up through her spine and tickled her brain, she couldn't help but smile, and as if it were the most natural thing for her to do, she moved her head so that it was leaning on Syaoran's shoulder, her eyes closed as her arm wrapped around his. And as if it was the most natural thing in the world for him to do, which it was, Syaoran blushed deeply and looked down at the peaceful face of the girl.

"S…Sakura?" He made out in his embarrassed state.

The girl gave a gentle sigh in reply, and pulled herself closer to him. She was, in fact, quite tired, and as such was somewhat unaware of the awkward position she had put her friend in. All she could recognise was that her feet were walking on automatic, and that leaning against Syaoran like this was very comfortable.

"Shleepy…" She murmured.

Syaoran would have to say that having Sakura lean on him like this was very comfortable, and he had half a mind to simply pick her up and carry her the rest of the way to her house. As he felt Sakura's pace slow down even more, he gained a whole mind to simply pick her up and carry her the rest of the way to her house. Stopping, he withdrew his arm from hers, wrapping it about his neck. He then wrapped his own arm around her back, and swept up her legs with the other, he head remained resting against his shoulder. The girl was as light as a feather to him and he continued walking at a gentle pace so as not to disturb her and to make the walk last as long as possible. She mumbled lightly and smiled as she slept, a clear sign of a good dream, Syaoran was enjoying something even better than a dream right now though, having Sakura so close to him like this (even if she was asleep) her gentle scent wafting around him. The tranquillity, however, did not last.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING TO MY SISTER!"

Syaoran almost leapt from his skin as the cry blasted through his ear drums, and Sakura was shocked awake. A light 'phweee' sound escaped her as she realised exactly where she was (in Syaoran's arms to be precise) and a blush settled in. She then found herself roundly whisked through the air and her feet on the ground, and the sight of her fuming elder brother before her.

"Touya, calm down." Sakura's head (still a little groggy from sleeping, so all this activity was really making it spin) whirled around to see the sight of her father standing in the door frame, his voice cooling off her aggravated sibling.

"Sakura, I'm glad to see that you're alright. You had me worried." Fujitaka Kinomoto smiled as he walked down to the edge of the garden to where his children stood, his son still glaring at the poor Chinese boy, who was obviously still trying to slow his heart back down. "And it's good to see you again Syaoran. Though it seems the theme of our meetings is always my daughter's lateness." Syaoran was quite glad that Sakura's father had obscured his view of her brother. Sakura's description of him had been very accurate; he was defiantly a very kind and calm looking person. Something about him reminded him of Eriol…a less spooky, evil, pain in the ass Eriol mind you.

"Do come in. We were just about to go and look for Sakura, but it seems you had no problems brining her back." Kinomoto-san smiled, his indications to Syaoran's actions making the poor boy blush.

Syaoran sat rather nervously in his chair at the table. After helping Sakura in explaining why she was so late, he had been invited to stay for dinner (which he had been glad of, he was in no rush to get back to where Eriol was waiting to torture him…he hoped they weren't rifling through his stuff…oh god his drawings of Sakura! He was going to suffer for sure when he got home!) and although the meal was delicious, he found it hard to focus on eating with Sakura's brother constantly glaring at him.

"Touya! Stop glaring at Syaoran!" Sakura cried out, just as annoyed as her friend who sat beside her.

Her father simply chuckled, knowing full well the great protectiveness Touya had for his precious little sister, and made a note to talk to him later about being so rude.

"So Syaoran, Sakura tells me you're a good artist." Kinomoto-san smiled at his guest.

"I wouldn't say I'm good…I can draw but…."

"Don't be so modest. I saw that drawing you gave to Sakura, she has it pinned on her wall next to her bed, it's very impressive."

"Thank you." Syaoran half whispered, while Sakura turned a light shade of red and Touya scowled.

"Sakura also said that you live alone with your sister. Is that right?"

"Yes sir." Syaoran responded, his manners kicking in on reflex. "My parents died in a car crash a few years ago, so it's just been me and her." Syaoran's face gained a saddened look, which was reflected in Sakura's, who knew that the subject of his parent's death still pained him to talk about after all this time. She could sympathise, she was the same way. She could talk about her mum without problems, but the topic of her death left her saddened and quiet.

A silence set on the table for a few moments, broken by what sounded like a growl from Touya, who seemed to have been ignoring the conversation thus far, causing Sakura to cry out.

"TOUYA!"

After dinner was eaten, and the plates cleared away, Sakura took Syaoran up to her room so that her father could have a word with her brother about his rudeness while they cleaned the dishes.

Syaoran couldn't help but notice the level of pink in the room. It wasn't a Barbie pink, but a soft cherry-blossom pink that really fitted Sakura. Sitting down on her bed, he suddenly found himself attacked by an orange cat.

"ARGH!" Was the word chosen from his vocabulary as he fell back under the force of the feline's attack. He was swiftly saved by Sakura who hauled the creature from his head.

"Bad Kero! Don't do that! Syaoran's my friend." She scolded the cat as she set him down on the floor. Kero gave Syaoran one last look (that reminded Syaoran of Touya's glare) and then marched huffily out the room to find and tease Yue.

"Sorry about that Syaoran, he's usually very friendly. Honest." The girl smiled sitting next to him.

Looking at his face, Sakura couldn't help but remember the bruises that lay under the make-up Mei-Ling had used on him. Her hand raised slowly and placed itself lightly on Syaoran's face.

"It's…It's not fair that people do those things to you…you don't deserve it." She said sadly, looking over his features. "It's really not."

The fuzzy feeling that had earlier spread to her spine and tickled her brain, had now taken a full run in her chest, making it feel tight, and she was becoming a little light headed as she began to stare into Syaoran's eyes.

Her hand slipped down to Syaoran's waist and she wrapped her arms around him and lay her head on his chest, drowsiness was settling in on her again, but she fought to stay awake, her eyes remaining half open.

"It's all right now though." Syaoran partially whispered; his blush barely under control as he felt his arms wrap around Sakura's shoulders. "I've met you. It makes it feel…worth it…" He smiled gently, wondering if Sakura could actually hear what he was saying.

Before the conversation could continue, there came a knock on the door to Sakura's bedroom, and Sakura jerked up-right, shocked into alertness.

"Come in!" She called, and her father stepped through the door.

Fujitaka Kinomoto had actual come up a few minutes earlier to find the door to his daughter's room ajar, and had decided not to interrupt what he was seeing, not just yet anyway. From the way Sakura talked about he young boy, it was clear she was developing feelings for him that she wasn't yet aware of, and from the way Syaoran looked at his daughter he could see that he had already developed some very strong feelings for her that he was very aware of.

"I have to go and get some milk. If you want, Syaoran, I'll run you up the road to your house just now."

"Thank you." Syaoran responded, bowing his head lightly. He turned to Sakura and bid her good bye and proceeded downstairs behind her father. As he stepped into the car, he looked back and waved to her as she waved to him through her window. The next thing he knew he was sitting in the front of the car and was speeding on his way back home.

"I didn't want to embarrass you by asking you at the table, but exactly what do you think of my daughter?"

Syaoran was caught off by the question (he had just begun staring off into space). He turned to look at the smiling face of Kinomoto-san.

"It's alright, I don't suspect you of being a malicious pervert…though Touya might do…I just want to know. I can see you care a lot about her."

Syaoran's head bowed, his eyes shutting slightly.

"Yes. Yes I do….but…"

"But you think it's pointless because she's too good for you?" The great mind reader smiled.

Syaoran looked up, a little surprised, and nodded sadly.

Fujitaka Kinomoto smiled, seeing himself in Syaoran when he had been his age, believing himself to be so far beneath his late wife.

"Don't worry. You'll see your own worth in time." Was all he said as he pulled the car up before the apartment. "Take care." He smiled as Syaoran got out the car.

Syaoran watched as the car sped off into the night. Turning, he entered the building and hit the switch on the lift and began to speed up to his apartment, his eyes downcast, ignoring the star filled sky as he found himself in deep worth.

"See my own true worth?" He muttered to himself as he unlocked the door and proceeded inside, ready to face his obnoxious cousin, aggravating best friend and his sister, who would no doubt be relishing in the early end to her work she received on a Sunday.

"Touya! How can you be so mean to him like that!" Sakura cried, hurling a stuffed sheep at her brother.

"I just don't trust him." Touya huffed, his arms crossing his chest as the sheep bounced off his head. "And I don't think you should hang around with him."

Sakura fumed as those words left his mouth, and a deep burning anger welled in her chest.

"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO SAY THAT!" She cried. "Syaoran's the nicest person I know! And I know I can trust him!" 'I made the mistake of not trusting him once…and I almost destroyed him by doing so.' She thought to herself. "Just get out!"

Touya sighed huffily and did as he was bid, slamming the door behind him as Sakura flopped down on her bed, cuddling the recovered stuffed sheep and staring at the picture on her wall. Kero hopped up onto her bed and hissed at the drawing. Placing the sheep down, Sakura picked up the cat and lay on her back, dangling the pet above her.

"Not you too Kero…Syaoran hasn't done anything to deserve so many people being mean to him."

Placing Kero down, she felt sleep once more tugging at her.

"It's…It's just not…just not…fair…" She murmured as sleep overtook her and she entered a blissful slumber.

Kero: That was quite heart-warming.

Me: Not too sappy? Not too lacking in dialogue?

Kero: We'll let the reviewers flame you about that. It's about time you received some.

Me: Ah well.

Kero: Now, although I'm not the brat's biggest fan…I really have to ask one thing…

Me: What's that?

Kero: HOW LONG UNTIL THEY FREAKING KISS! YOU KEEP LEADING UP TO IT AND THEN STOPPING!

Me: Yeek! Don't worry. It'll happen….eventually.

Kero: Whaddya' mean 'eventually'!

Me: Urm…time to respond to the reviews!

VcChick: Sakura is always nice. I can't wait to see what the reaction will be when tehy  
get to school! with a couple more people to hang out wiht and tomoyo has to  
beable to accept syao now! yay!

Me: I like nice people. So Sakura has to be nice. And you'll see the reactions of people at school starting in the next chapter.

Scarlett Eternity : OOh You finished it (Why yes, I kept forgetting to check >>; The spam was  
awful on the last one, I was getting about twenty viruses sent to me daily ..;  
So I moved from that one, I meant to tell you before, but forgot.

Mnn, talk to you later Hope you finish another one

Me: Well I finally finished this and the next one. Sorry about the viruses.

The-Wolf-of-Stars : haha, that was funny! i love how S+S are getting closer. hurry with the next  
chapter though!

Me: You can't rush genius, or in my case, dumb luck.

Rinoa Leonheartilly: I just started reading this, and I love it! Update soon!

Me: I'm glad I got a new fan Sorry that I take so long to write these.

lightdragon1987:I think you portraded Eriol well. By the way how far are you in the series?  
I can't wait for you to update. I love the fact that Tomoyo melts around Eriol,  
most of the time you never quit know what she's realy thinking. This is a great  
chapter!

Me: Thanks. I think I go a bit ooc in the next chapter though. Thankfully, since writing these chapters, I have read more of the manga.

sweet-captor: kawaii

Me: Err. Yes.

angel-demoness7: lol, i love this story! please update soon!

Me: Such praise burns my ears.

Cherrysinger: aW! This is so CUTE! And not to mention magnificently funny too. I LUV IT! MY  
FAV CHAPTER SO FAR! Keep it going girl.

And oh yah, marry christmas to you too! Hope you got lots and lots of presents,  
and spent time with your family.

Now, please update soon! (I'm a random person, I know...I'm always the one  
changing subjects about what to talk about).

Me: I'm glad you liked it. Getting praise like this really makes writing this stuff worthwhile. I did have a good christmas, as I got to see my paternal relatives.

Kero: Hey! She called you a girl! I thought we covered that way back!

Me: Yes. I think we did. Despite common belief, I am a guy. ;

dragonspirit888: Great story. I think this chapter explained things out too quickly like how you  
changed madison's name to tomoyo all of a sudden. And how did she just pop up  
into the group. I would have liked it if you eased her slowly in the picture but  
oh well. Story is great. Hope you update soon.

Me: Ah, I've been wanting to have a go at this since I got it.

1 the names : Yes. I know the change was sudden, but I couldn't think how else to do it.

2: I just felt that appearing rather spooikly from nowhere like that was something Tomoyo would do.

Kero: Thanks very much for all of your reviews! Keyo does read them all! Even though he should spend more time studying and doing homework!

Me: Until next time!


	13. Back to School and Stuff

Kero: Heeeeeeey there fanfic fans! It's time for the amazing adventures of Kero! Guardian of the Clow! In today's story we see our brave and dashing hero Kero…

Me: Okay Kero, I'm back. Having my net slagged sure is giving me a lot of writing time...what're you doing?

Kero: Oh…uh…erm…I was just getting ready to give the disclaimer!

Me: Oh that's good. Get ready to roll it then.

Kero: So what's happening in today's chapter?

Me: Well I'm planning on having them back at school of course…

Kero: And what else have you planned?

Me: I was figuring on making it up as I go along. That's what I usually do.

Kero: You're unbelievable.

Me: Well, I do know that things will be changing for Syaoran at school. After all, think of the impact Eriol will have upon everyone else's opinion of him.

Kero: Not bad. By the way, have you thought of an ending for this yet?

Me: … Just roll the disclaimer so we can start.

Kero: sigh Keyo doesn't own CCS or its character's. Clamp and its ninja lawyers of death do!

Chapter 13 – Back to school and other stuff.

"RISE AND SHINE MY DEAR LITTLE COUSIN! IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP, EMBRACE THE DAY AND…MMPH!"

Eriol's vastly unappreciated wake up call was quickly silenced as a pillow connected with his face. Syaoran took this moment of silence to flop around and pull the cover's back up.

"Ah, my poor little cousin. I take it Sakura tired you out last night." Eriol grinned pervertedly.

"Eriol I'm warning you…go away before I hurt you…" Syaoran mumbled. Normally he was very good in the mornings, just not this morning.

"Ah, the things you must have done, seen, felt!" Eriol called out dramatically, all the while Syaoran's temper shortened. Eriol then quickly switched to a thinking pose. "She looks like the bondage type to me y'…"

Syaoran's temper had officially expired, and he launched from his bed, pinning his cousin to the futon beside it (which Eriol had been sleeping on the night before) and began to make a very good effort to smother him.

"Mi mbetf shbf wbfs reffly sbft!" Came a muffled cry of perverseness that only made Syaoran press harder.

"PHWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Was the cry that rattled the Kinomoto household as Sakura tore through the house, hopping violently as she tried to get her sock on and pack her bag at the same time.

"If you did these things the night before, you'd be in less of a rush in the morning Sakura." Her father sagely advised as he pulled his coat on.

"I know, I know!" She called as she managed to haul her shoes on.

Shooting upright, she kissed her father on the cheek and hurtled out of the door. Then back in again as she grabbed her bag and then back out again as she raced for the bus.

Plopping down into her usual window-seat, she began to feel uneasy. Looking around, she saw a stout Chinese boy glaring at her from a few seats back, bruises could be seen on his face. Shrinking back, Sakura had a fair guess about who it was, and knew she'd feel much safer when she got to school and Syaoran.

"Syaaaaaarrrooooon..." Mei-Ling whined as she slouched behind the boys. "Why do we have to walk?"

"Because it's much better for you and the school's not too far from the apartment." Came her friend's reply.

"Toooooooo faaaaaaar…And it's tooooo coooollllllllld…" Mei-Ling cried, as she continued to slouch onward through the autumnal weather.

It wasn't too long, however, until they arrived at the much loathed establishment and Mei-Ling perked up as she spotted Tomoyo milling around the front, and proceeded to approach her in her usual bouncy manner. Eriol proceeded to give an apologetic nod to Syaoran, and he too went over to where Tomoyo stood, intending to continue from where he left off the other day. Syaoran, meanwhile, simply shuffled into the building and began to head toward the classroom. Sitting down at his desk in the corner, he was surprised when the door opened up and Sakura came in. She looked through back through the window on the door, then let out a sight of relief. Only when she turned did she notice Syaoran.

"Oh! Syaoran! I didn't see you there." She called out, clutching at her chest in a vain effort to slow her heart down.

Syaoran proceeded to stumble through his first few words, caught off guard by the girl's sudden appearance.

"S…S…Sakura. Wh…what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Tomoyo?"

Sakura sat down next to him, nervously glancing at the door a few times.

"Sorry if I'm bothering you Syaoran. I…I…Just…" She then let out a little gasp and shrunk back in her seat as a face appeared at the window, with two others lurking behind it.

Syaoran's eyes developed a burning fire as he looked through the glass, the face of Mark and two of his cronies on the other side. Mark's drunken memories of the night were blurred, but they were good enough for him to remember Syaoran handing him his ass, and exactly what had set him off. And from the way Syaoran was glaring at him, it was clear he had no intention of letting him come near Sakura. So scowling, he and his goons turned and left.

Sakura let out another sight of relief and placed a hand on her chest to steady her pounding heart once more.

"Heh heh. Sorry Syaoran. I…" She was stopped as she saw Syaoran's head, hung low.

"No…I'm sorry Sakura…It's my fault. He's been following you hasn't he?" Syaoran's voice was wrought with depression.

"Yeah…since this morning…he glared at me the entire time on the bus. I ran through the school to see if he'd leave me alone…"

"I'm sorry Sakura…I'm so sorry…I should have…I should have just let him beat me up…then maybe he wouldn't have…"

Syaoran didn't get to finish, Sakura was next to him in a flash, her arms wrapping around his hunched form, and her head leaning against his back.

"Don't you dare Syaoran Li…Don't you dare." She made out, fighting back tears. "You didn't do anything wrong, and it's not your fault…so don't you dare…"

Syaoran too, was holding off tears as this girl held him so tight. Sitting upright, he wrapped his arms around her slender form and pulled her close. Her headed shifted to rest on his shoulder and she was practically sitting on his lap.

"Thank you." Syaoran whispered into her ear. "Thank you."

Somewhere in the back of Syaoran's mind, the negative little voice (bet you thought I'd forgotten him) suffered a heart attack, and was put into a hospital bed by the voice of sympathy.

"Students, we have two new Class members today. They're visiting from China. I'd like you all to welcome Mei-Ling and Eriol Hiragazawa."

Many of the girls in the class began to melt at the site of Eriol, as he gave off his usual charming smile, Tomoyo received a few a jealous glares from the girls who noticed Eriol wink at her. Mei-Ling meanwhile had not failed to catch the attention of every boy in the class.

"Would you mind telling us all a bit about yourselves?" The teacher politely asked, hoping to use this as a distraction so that he could get on with marking some of the papers and keep the class quiet at the same time.

"Of course not." Eriol smiled before turning to face the class. "My name, as said, is Eriol Hiragazawa. I'm 17 and from Hong Kong. I am, regretfully, single at the moment however. But that's a problem I'm hoping to rectify while I'm here." His glance once more fell on Tomoyo who returned the smile that was sent her way. "I also happen to be the cousin of Syaoran Li."

This piece of information set a murmuring wave through the classroom, as people began to question their long held thoughts about the brunette in the corner (who was a little surprised that Eriol was risking social destruction by revealing their blood-link).

"Well, I'm Mei-Ling. I'm also 17 and, back in China, I live right next door to Eriol here. I am, very fortunately, not single. So all of you lust filled guys can shut your mouths now." The glare given by Mei-Ling was sufficient to get what she wanted done. "Eriol and I are both here to visit Syaoran Li, who happens to be a very good friend of mine." Mei-Ling stressed the word very, and several of the people who rather enjoyed picking on the good-natured boy found themselves coughing and shuffling nervously in their chairs as Mei-Ling's glare scanned the classroom.

Syaoran, meanwhile, groaned and slumped in his chair.

The change was kind of scary. Not nasty 'chain-saw wielding maniac scary', but scary none-the-less. The change could be called sudden, because it was certainly very noticeable, because of the number of people he could see re-assessing their opinions of him.. What had caused it was, of course, very obvious. Eriol's graceful charm had led many who based their opinions of him solely on rumours to pay more attention to him and begin to notice the vast errors of the rumours, and Mei-Ling's explosive temperament had more than served to scare off the creeps who had once seen him as easy prey. In conclusion, Syaoran guessed that he may be moving up in the School's social standing.

Although this brought many benefits (such as not being tripped up every few feet in the corridors) there was only one that Syaoran really appreciated. And that was that he could openly spend time with Sakura in school without worrying too much about what may happen to her social standing. He was also very glad of this, as Mark had become a malicious shadow for the poor girl, intent on deeds currently unknown. Syaoran did know, however, that he would stand by what he had said the previous night, and would not abandon Sakura.

At present, he was sitting the dining hall, rain having erupted during 3 period. He was not, however, at his usual lonely table by the window, rather at Tomoyo's regular table, seated between Eriol and Mei-Ling, with Sakura straight across from him. He also had a good view of Mark, and would engage in a glaring skirmish with him every so often, warding his gaze from Sakura.

Sakura had felt the stares on her back, and couldn't help but notice when Syaoran glared past her. She let off a sullen sigh, and gave a sad, apologetic glance at Syaoran, who upon receiving this, gave her one of those 'don't be' looks and get her to smile again. The two just sat for a moment, smiling rather shyly at each other, the noise of the dining room seeming to fade away. It unfortunately came crashing back in when Syaoran noticed Mei-Ling leaning over and in the process of devouring one of his sandwiches.

"Hey! Mei-Ling!" Syaoran cried, the moment now ruined.

"What?" The dark hair girl smiled in an impish way, sitting back up-right with the half-eaten sandwich still in her hand. "You weren't eating it."

The rest of the table erupted into laughter, the kind of laughter that only friends can produce at your misfortune. Syaoran felt his anger evaporate as he heard a rather stifled laugh emitting from Sakura, which caused him only to sigh happily, glad to see her worries removed for at least a moment. A joke was spurted off by Eriol, and the laughter only increased, but Syaoran didn't notice, he just rested his head in his hand and stared at Sakura, his thoughts and eyes completely taken over by her.

'Don't worry Sakura.' He thought to himself, making a silent promise. 'I won't abandon you…I will…I will protect you.'

So absorbed in the one he loved and his thoughts of her, Syaoran didn't even notice as Mei-Ling proceeded to steal and eat the rest of his sandwhich.

Me: Woosh! Finally finished.

Kero: Yeah. And your computer's been fixed for about 3 weeks now.

Me: Heh. By the way. This fic is coming up for being 1 year old.

Kero: How come?

Me: I just finished my Prelims awhile back, and my final exams are only a few months away.

Kero: Wow. A whole year and you haven't even managed to make 20 chapters…

Me: Awww…c'mon…that's cruel…TT

Kero: Quit yer whining. Sorry there are no responses in this chapter, cause it's part of a double update.

Me: Until next time!

Kero: Now back to work!

Me: Aww man…Advanced Higher English is hard…


End file.
